Category: Basketball

Why Draymond Green disagrees with Charles Oakley's opinion of his playing style originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green sees and hears everything, even commentary from former NBA players.

19-year NBA veteran Charles Oakley recently said Green’s style of play wouldn’t have worked in the 90s, citing the Warriors’ forward’s penchant for trash talking as something that would’ve been different in his era. (h/t basketball network)

Green first and foremost expressed the respect he has for Oakley, before offering a detailed response as to why he disagrees with the longtime enforcer’s opinion of him during a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show.“

“Uncle Oak is my guy, so there will be no slander here. I got the utmost respect, Uncle Oak did it at the highest level at what he was in this league, and I respect that” Green said. So what I will say is this. I respect everything Uncle Oak said and his opinion is his opinion. I disagree with some of it, as in like Draymond’s style wouldn’t fit in the NBA in the 90s. And I disagree with that because my style of who Draymond Green is, I created my style.”

Green averaged 16.2 points per game in his senior season at Michigan State, serving as a dynamic scorer on one of the nation’s best teams. Upon arriving in the NBA as a second-round draft pick, Green had to reinvent himself to sustain his professional career. The Warriors forward explained how that adaptability would translate to any era, not just modern basketball.

“I’m a basketball player, so I know how to adjust to different situations. When I came into this league, I was not who I am today. I created this guy, who I am today,” Green explained. “When I came in this league, I scored the basketball. That’s kind of who I was and how I got here. I also rebounded the basketball and passed the basketball, it’s kind of who I was and how I got here. Most importantly, I was a winner before I got here and after I got here.

“So, I became who I became while not quite being myself, which is why I love me and I’m so proud of me. Because I feel like if you task someone with becoming someone totally different than who they ever were, they may become serviceable NBA players but they usually don’t become potential Hall of Famers.”

Green also highlighted the difference in play between the 90s and today as being a key factor into why he disagrees with Oakley’s assessment.

“And so that’s why I’m so proud of me, because regardless of how I had to do it, I went and made it happen,” green said. “But by no means don’t make the mistake, I was never this player. I just happened to make this player great. So, I disagree with not being able to play in the 90s. The skill level wasn’t as high as it is today. They did not run up and down the court like we do today, the game was way slower.

“Yeah, guys were bigger, and you can say guys are soft today but I’m sorry to tell you, Nikola Jokić ain’t soft. I’m sorry to tell you, [Victor Wembenyama] is a little skinny, but he ain’t soft. The game ain’t bruising like it used to be, but quite honestly we’re not allowed to do that. We’re not allowed to play the game as physical as they played it. Also, nobody wanted to see that s–t. So, the game kind of changed to increase the ratings of more basketball that people want to see. I respect and love the OGs but it’s different, the game is played totally different today.”

Green is a four-time NBA champion and a Defensive Player of the Year Award winner, with a Hall-of-Fame caliber resume that makes it difficult to envision a scenario where he wouldn’t be able to play in another era and find similar success.

Looks like Green and Oakley will have to respectfully agree to disagree on this one.

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Draymond Green calls out ‘losers' critical of Jonathan Kuminga's Warriors role originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green is tired of the Jonathan Kuminga slander.

After Kuminga agreed to a two-year extension with Golden State that ended a summer-long contract standoff, it the young forward and the team were ready to move on and focus on basketball.

But people can’t get enough of the drama.

Kuminga started the first 12 game sfor the Warriors before coach Steve Kerr wanted to shake things up and had Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski come off the bench during Golden State’s first game of a back-to-back set against the Spurs in San Antonio.

In that game, Kuminga didn’t play the entire second half and some speculated he was upset for being pulled out of the starting lineup. However, it was later revealed that he is dealing with bilateral knee tendinitis.

“Obviously, I think JK has been playing really well. So to go out of the starting lineup, it kind of sucks,” Green shared on his “The Draymond Green Show.” “But I think also people make starting and coming off the bench sometimes more than what it really is.

I know everyone loves a good drama. Everybody’s saying, ‘Oh man, he’s being the scapegoat,’ and this, that and all that. There’s no scapegoat. We’re 13 games in. Ironically, all the people that start running around saying scapegoat are people that never won. So you think there’s a scapegoat needed. But in Game 12, when you know what it takes to win a championship, there’s no scapegoat. In Game 12, also when you’re not front-runners and you’re champions, there’s no scapegoat anyway.

“Decisions are just kind of made, and you move on and you make the best decision that you think is going to put you in position to win. And so I found it very funny hearing a lot of people that never won and some losers say, ‘Oh man, he’s being scapegoated,’ like, only bad teams and losers panic in Game 12 of an 82-game season with 70 games left.”

Green acknowledged that yes, something needed to change after the Warriors had come off an ugly road loss to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

That loss dropped the Warriors to 6-6 on the season at the time, which Green believes was a large enough sample size to evaluate what was working well for the team and adjust what wasn’t. So, as all championship caliber teams do, to Green’s point, Kerr made the change he felt was necessary.

One thing Green will do is take accountability for the basketball side of things, but he won’t stand for the false narratives being tossed around about his teammates.

“I know JK was questionable to see if he was going to play last night, and he ended up not playing because he wasn’t really feeling it,” Green shared. “But of course, people are going to create drama and say Kuminga didn’t come out after halftime because he was mad he didn’t play. Unfortunately, guys, I live this thing. So I know a few more things that y’all don’t know. And I know JK was questionable because his knees were sore before OKC. Voila! Oh my God! It’s not what y’all thought. It’s unbelievable. Look at that.

“How about this? JK has been one of the most bought-in guys on the team all year. How about that? Oh my God, he’s not the f–king a–hole and baby that y’all try to make him out to be, and think he’s always complaining. How about that? JK has made it very clear he wants to be an All-Star. He thinks he has All-Star potential, and he wants to fulfill that. He’s made that very clear, 1,000 percent we all know that. So when you feel like things aren’t quite going your way to allow it, that you’re going to be upset as a competitor, of course. Kid works his ass off.

“Of course, you want to feel some type of way. Who would want someone that doesn’t feel any type of way? Great. I’ll show you a loser right to your face. So I found that very interesting. You all just kind of try to take whatever you want and spin it, and I’m here to tell you that you never have to do that with my words.”

Well, there it is.

If there’s ever any confusion on Kuminga’s supposed unhappiness with the Warriors, just check in with “The Draymond Green Show” to get anything cleared up.

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Steph Curry reveals heartwarming reason for wearing Kobes during pregame warmups originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry flipped the sneaker world on its head after news broke that the two-time NBA MVP would be parting ways with Under Armour after 12 years, with everyone eager to see what shoe he would sport next.

Curry sent social media ablaze on Friday night when he wore the Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita” during pregame warmups before Golden State’s 109-108 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.

The shoe originally was released in 2022 to honor basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant, who both tragically passed away in a January 2020 helicopter crash.

Curry revealed that he wanted to take advantage of the moment to pay tribute to both Kobe and Gigi, honoring their legacies, knowing there would be plenty of eyeballs on his footwear.

“I know it’s weird seeing me in anything else other than my own shoes, but just the idea of what he meant — I’ve talked about Kobe a lot. That specific pair, I think it speaks for itself, what it means,” Curry told reporters after Friday’s win. “Other than that, just something I wanted to take advantage of that moment and pay tribute. I think it gave me some good energy tonight.”

Curry certainly channeled his inner “Mamba Mentality” in the epic victory, dropping 49 points on 16-of-26 shooting and 9 of 17 from beyond the arc in 26 minutes of action.

Curry also took a moment to pay homage to another NBA great on Friday, throwing up the number 23 after tying Michael Jordan for the most 40-plus point games after the age of 30.

While Curry has proved he can be dynamic regardless of the shoes on his feet, the heartwarming gesture to honor Bryant and his daughter reflects the high-level character that is synonymous with the Warriors superstar.

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Jackson Rowe gives hilarious locker room speech after Steph Curry's big game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr doesn’t always want to do all the talking.

Especially after the coach already had given the Warriors a passionate pregame speech before Friday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, Kerr wanted to give someone else the opportunity to address the team in the locker room after a nail-biting 109-108 win.

So, Kerr turned to Draymond Green to pick a rookie or young player to put on the spot and evaluate another Steph Curry masterclass. Green originally chose rookie guard Will Richard before changing his mind and selecting second-year forward Jackson Rowe.

Rowe, like the rest of us, tried to find the right words to explain what the world had just witnessed from Curry. So he kept it simple.

“God just blessed Steph, man,” Rowe said as the locker room burst into laughter. “I don’t know. There ain’t no answer for him. There ain’t no answer.”

Curry, also hysterical sitting at his locker, loved it.

I mean, what more can you say?

Curry finished with 49 points on 16-of-26 shooting from the field and 9 of 17 from 3-point range, with four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 36 minutes.

He compiled a whopping 95 points in two consecutive games against the Spurs, both leading to wins for Golden State.

Curry might be blessed, as Rowe stated, but so is the basketball world that gets to watch him.

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Victor Wembanyama explains why he got in Draymond Green's face after poster dunk originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Victor Wembanyama‘s poster dunk over Draymond Green, and the theatrics that ensued, came from bottled-up emotions.

After the Warriors’ thrilling 109-108 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, the young Spurs phenom explained to reporters why he got in Green’s face after the monstrous slam.

“It’s not trying to prove anything to anybody,” Wembanyama said (h/t Mike Finger). “It’s just, at some point, somebody speaks to you a certain way, you have to respond a certain way.”

After the dunk, which didn’t actually count because officials ruled Green fouled Wembanyama before the slam, the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama hunched over Green as the two began to exchange words.

The Spurs bench — and the entire Frost Bank Center crowd — got out of their seats in awe of what they just witnessed. Then, as Wembanyama and Green continued to go at it, Spurs fourth-year forward Jeremy Sochan got in between the two and shoved Green away from his teammate.

Eventually, players on both sides got involved as they tried to de-escalate the situation.

Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, one steal and three blocks in 38 minutes.

Ultimately, though, Green, in 33 minutes, finished with six points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three blocks, the win and the last laugh in San Antonio.

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Steph Curry explains Under Armour split, next moves in sneaker free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN ANTONIO – Steph Curry, for the second straight game in the Warriors’ second consecutive road win, scored more than 40 points Friday night in a 109-108 victory against the San Antonio Spurs. 

But there was something different about Curry’s pregame look Friday night at Frost Bank Center. Much different.

It was announced Thursday that Curry and Under Armour were parting ways in a move that shocked the basketball and sneaker world. Curry always has all eyes on his famous pregame warmup routine. On Friday, all eyes were on his feet. 

Curry wore black and white Mambacita Kobe 6 Nike shoes before his first game as a sneaker free agent since 2013.

“I’m a free agent out here. New beginnings,” Curry said after the win. “I was blessed to have an unbelievable experience, take a chance on something that meant a lot to me over the last 13 years and I’m extremely proud of myself, my team, everybody that was able to touch that business for that long. We all should be proud of what we were able to accomplish in taking a basketball brand and category that wasn’t really a thing to where we did. But I’m excited about the future.” 

Originally a Nike athlete, Curry made the move to Under Armour in 2013, where he became the face of their basketball brand. 

He then launched Curry Brand through Under Armour in 2020. The assumption was that the Warriors superstar would be locked in with Under Armour for life. That isn’t so anymore. 

The Curry Brand will move forward independently. Under Armour still will release the Curry 13 shoes in February 2026. After that, their marriage is over. Starting now, he is a sneaker free agent, explaining that a change right now is best for all.

“Just in the best interest of both parties,” Curry said. “The sneaker industry is difficult, and like I said, things change over time, and to the point of you give your best effort to create something sustainable.

“A little disappointing, though, knowing how it turned out, based on where Curry Brand has been the last five years and the announcement we had two years ago. But I think it’s the right thing for everybody. For me to take the opportunity with Curry Brand and what we’ve done in the community, what we’ve done standing for something. ‘Change The Game For Good’ is our tagline and hopefully having something to show for it down the road, I’m excited for that.” 

Curry always has spoken highly about the late Kobe Bryant, and how he paved a path for women athletes in basketball. His Curry Camp now hosts the same amount of girls prep starts as boys. Wearing the specific pair of Kobes he did in San Antonio was intentional.

Even knowing how odd it looked to see him wear different shoes for the first time in more than a decade.

“I know it’s just weird seeing me in anything else other than my own shoes,” Curry acknowledged. “But just the idea of what he meant. I’ve talked about Kobe a lot. And that specific pair, I think it speaks for itself and what it means. Other than that, it’s just something that I wanted to take advantage of that moment and pay tribute. 

“I think it gave me some good energy tonight.” 

Once the game started, Curry was back to wearing a white colorway of his current Curry Brand Under Armour shoes. There was then a switch. Curry in the second quarter put on a pair of his Curry Series 7 shoes that feature blue, red and yellow colors. 

Keep your eyes peeled to what shoes Curry has on his feet as this continues and he seeks new partnership deals. Curry will keep wearing other brands, possibly trying multiple versions from different companies. 

“The good thing about this situation is, I love my own shoes when I’m out there hooping. That’s why I put those back on, and why I’ve designed the kicks that I have for as long as I have,” Curry said. “But yeah, I’m going to have some fun with this in terms of whatever opportunities are the right fit. 

“I’ll try everything out.”

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Steph Curry's heroics in wins vs. Spurs sends message to Warriors teammates originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As Stephen Curry’s teammates were celebrating him for being the blessing that he is and surely was this week in San Antonio, his performance over those two games stands as an unspoken message for the Warriors.

To his teammates: Even at age 37, I can do enough to lift us to great heights. But I’m going to need more help, as it is essential for us to reach our goal of being a serious contender.

Curry realizes none of the Warriors possess his deep box of offensive skills. There is a reason he is the only unanimous MVP award winner in league history. There is a reason he is widely considered one of the 10 best players to step onto an NBA court. It is safely assumed that he is the most influential player of his era.

But Curry also knows everyone wearing a Warriors jersey can be as committed as he is to do whatever it takes to win. Is that too much to ask?

After playing 34 minutes and scoring 46 points to lead Golden State to a 125-120 win over the Spurs on Wednesday, Curry came back on Friday to play 36 minutes, his highest total this season in a regulation game. His response was to blast the Spurs with 49 points – 31 in the second half, the last two being the clinching free throws in a 109-108 victory.

This is a man who missed three games last week with an illness.

“I think he’s fully healthy now,” Gary Payton II told reporters at Frost Bank Center. “I don’t think he’s sick anymore. It’s just good to see him out there getting his normal runs. his normal jogs, normal bounce, normal rhythm. Once he gets going, we just try to find him, try to get him open, make it easy for us.”
When Curry goes nuclear, it does make the game easier for his teammates. Their priority becomes, as Payton said, getting the ball to Steph and letting him destroy the opposing defense.

But 95 points over two games is 47.5 per, a totally unsustainable number for anybody who ever graced the NBA, aside from Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. As great as Curry is, that absurd level of production is bound to dip. And when it does, he does not want to see his teammates inspecting their fingernails.

And all he wants is for them to lend a more reliable helping hand. Because that’s what it’s going to take.

For a while on Friday, there wasn’t much aid. Curry accounted for 10 of the 18 points the Warriors scored in the first quarter and 18 of the 47 they totaled in the first half. Jimmy Butler III and Will Richard rode shotgun, each putting in 10 points. The other seven Warriors contributed seven points.

So, coach Steve Kerr turned to Curry and extended his minutes beyond what he would have liked.

“We just couldn’t really get our offense going and it felt like we were going to have to ride him a few extra minutes,” Kerr said. “We didn’t plan on playing him the whole third. I tried to take him out with about two minutes left, but there was no stoppage in play, and he played the last eight.”

Kerr had spent part of the morning addressing the team. He talked about the components of success, using the various elements of a music band as an example.

“He was in his bag in terms of the speech he gave in our pregame meeting this morning,” Curry said. “And you could tell like he still has that fastball if he needs it.”

Kerr explained how bands thrive best when every member of the touring party knows their role, accepts it and commits to it, from lead singer to guitarists to drummer to stagehands. If any member of the group isn’t focused and on point, the whole show suffers.

“But it speaks to how it all matters,” Curry said. “There’s value in all of that when a band is going on a tour. I think Phil Jackson instilled that in (Kerr), and he used that as a reference for how we need to play and how we need to approach our identity.

“It’s going to take a long time to get through this year in terms of doing that but it’s great to have a reference.”

For the Warriors to become the team they think they are, Buddy Hield, averaging 5.4 points over his last 12 games, shooting 30 percent from deep this season, will have to rejoin the band. Brandin Podziemski must be quicker at moving the ball and more careful with his decisions. Jonathan Kuminga, once healthy, will need to become the player he was in the first two weeks of the season. Al Horford must knock down triples at 37-to-40 percent.

Once they were humbled by a blowout in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, the Warriors did some soul-searching. They then landed in San Antonio late Tuesday night and spent Wednesday and Friday following Curry. He gave them what they needed.

If his teammates were watching him closely, they saw someone setting an example of a total commitment to victory. Which seems worthy of following.

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