Draymond Green returned to the court for the first time in more than two months Monday night, coming off the bench to help the Golden State Warriors secure a 126-112 victory. After the win, Green met with reporters for his postgame press conference and the All-Star forward pontificated on the role o f sports media, without offering much in terms of specifics.
“As someone who now works on your side of things I understand the job and I’m all for the job which is why I will give quotes and I expand on my answers,” Green said, prefacing his criticism. “We play, you write, you speak and it grows the game. Because of that, we are all one, I don’t know if people understand that or not. But my job don’t work without y’all and y’all job don’t work without mine.”
Draymond Green had some words for the media last night pic.twitter.com/AQq4Jg2YlS
— Brandon Contes (@BrandonContes) March 15, 2022
The 32-year-old’s primary job remains on the court, but earlier this year Green signed on with Turner Sports to make special appearances, likely setting himself up for a more full-time media gig when he retires.
“Integrity is important,” Green told reporters. “It’s very important. And when you assume sh*t and you try to put things out there to cause controversy and to essentially make other people look bad it’s ridiculous.”
“When you do things and you try to give your story an extra boost, just remember we work together,” Green continued. “I’m not giving much today because I’m not sure that I can trust where my words are going to go from here because the integrity of this job is extremely important.”
Green never called out the specific reporter in question. But following the rant, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke and Grant Liffmann noted Green believes there was a reporter who insinuated the forward wasn’t working hard enough while rehabbing his calf injury.
On March 2, Anthony Slater of The Athletic asked Steve Kerr if he wanted Green around the team more and the Warriors coach replied “yes.” Less than one week later, Slater wrote the Warriors has been “pushing for Draymond Green to get around the team more often.”
Slater added that Green “shifted into birthday mode. He spent Friday (March 4) in Los Angeles celebrating his 32nd birthday and didn’t show up for the Lakers game Saturday.”
Green did not mention Slater, Kerr, or the birthday report during his rant, nor did he say there was any false reporting. But Green made it a point to thank Warriors doctor Rick Celebrini before ending the press conference. Celebrini joined Green in Cabo San Lucas around the NBA All-Star break, while the Warriors star was working his way back from injury.
