Draymond Green is attempting to do something that’s very rare. Many athletes enter the media world after they retire but Green is going into media while he’s still an active NBA player. And at 32, and still playing at a high level, Draymond can be playing for a while.
On the heels of Chris “Mad Dog” Russo’s “shut up and play” comments, and JJ Redick’s immediate shutdown of those comments on First Take, Green simply tweeted, “JJ sent the clown back to the Circus!” Now after a day or two has passed, Draymond expanded on his thoughts on The Draymond Green Show podcast. The Golden State Warriors power forward and the Inside the NBA analyst revealed that he was once offered a spot on the show which he turned down.
.@Money23Green responds to @MadDogUnleashed’s “shut up and play” comments pic.twitter.com/TZMkALMDkD
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) May 6, 2022
“I’m not one to really pull the race card very often because I think we all know the role that race plays in the world that we live in but that definitely had a very racist connotation. Those ‘shut up and play’ ‘shut up and dribble’ days are long gone. We don’t listen to that anymore. We don’t want to hear it anymore. It has no place here and nor will it be tolerated. I also proceeded to say ‘It’s time for you to go home and sit on your couch. And thank the good Lord that I didn’t want his job,’ I meant that from the bottom of my heart. Before I signed with Turner, I was actually offered a spot on First Take.”
Certainly, if Draymond was on there instead of “Mad Dog,” Redick probably wouldn’t have needed to step in. That being said, given ESPN loves “embracing debate,” they probably would’ve shoehorned in Russo at some point to give those comments regardless if Green was on the show. And if Draymond was on the show, some ESPN people would’ve relished in the fireworks that would’ve resulted.
