Draymond Green is revered for being the defensive anchor and locker-room leader of the Warriors’ dynasty that won four championships in eight years. However, his problematic behavior on the court has earned him fines, suspensions, and the fans’ apathy. He discussed one of his most infamous on-court incidents on the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show with Rockets star Fred VanVleet and unsurprisingly refused to take accountability for his action.
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In Game 3 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals, the Warriors star kicked then-Thunder star Steven Adams in the groin, leaving him wincing in pain. Green was charged with a flagrant foul but remained in the game after the incident. In his post-game interview, he claimed it was an accident.
The right decision made. Never forget that Draymond Green should’ve been suspended for kicking Steven Adams in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, we all know why he wasn’t. He is a historically dirty player.#ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/Jd3WgicDdA https://t.co/ddde3DNgWZ
— Adam (@AdamJoseph____) April 19, 2023
VanVleet, who is now Adams’ teammate, reminded Green of that infamous kick and implied he did it on purpose. The veteran guard said,
“Didn’t you kick my man in the nuts? You kicked my dog in the nuts man come on with that sh*t.”
Draymond: Me and Steven Adams don’t really get into it much… I think there’s a mutual respect there
Fred VanVleet: Didn’t you kick my man in the nuts?
Dray: I was selling the call
Fred: you kicked my dawg in the nuts man, c’mon with that sh*t pic.twitter.com/TvslMwUdL5
— Steven Adams Stats (@funakistats) November 8, 2024
The four-time NBA champion continued to plead his innocence before claiming he and Adams were on good terms, despite that dangerous foul. Green said,
“Listen number one, I was selling a call… Me and Steven Adams don’t really get into it much man. I think there’s a mutual respect.”
The kick would have been dismissed as an accident had it been any other player. But Green’s history of violent behavior on the court suggests it wasn’t.
Draymond’s catalogue of controversial fouls
Eight games after the incident involving Adams, Green committed another egregious foul in Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals. After the forward hit the floor following a tussle, LeBron James tried to step over him, which the Warriors star took exception to, and swung his arm and hit the then-Cavaliers superstar in the groin area, which the four-time MVP got upset about.
Draymond Green got suspended AFTER game 4 in the 2016 finals for this
in this year’s finals, LeBron left the court 10 seconds early and AD elbowed Crowder in the face
neither of them got a tech or a flagrant foul even after postgame review, which absolutely makes no sense pic.twitter.com/xf1RYhkTNA
— Antonin (@antonin_org) October 10, 2020
Another instance of Green’s violent behavior happened in Game 2 of the first round of the 2023 playoffs between the Warriors and Kings. Following a skirmish for the rebound, the forward stomped on Domantas Sabonis’ chest, before running off nonchalantly. He was suspended for Game 3.
Sabonis is down after Draymond stepped on him. pic.twitter.com/6MwsNLT2Pj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 18, 2023
Last season, he had two lengthy spells on the sidelines due to suspensions. He was first suspended for five games for putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock during a game against the Timberwolves, before earning another indefinite suspension for swinging his arm and hitting Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face.
After he was reinstated, Green claimed he wouldn’t engage in violent behavior and he hasn’t since, but it remains to be seen how long he can keep a lid on his temper.
