Draymond on KD, Warriors-Cavs Finals, Steph & Klay parade story, New Media | Best of Draymond Green

Because you guys had won before, and now that you've won after, Kevin maybe doesn't get enough credit for '17 and '18, at least from my perspective. And I want to get your opinion on that.

Well, I think, number one, going back to 2015, Draymond Green. Andre was absolutely amazing. And I think what it came down to when discussing like the Finals MVP was, I'm not sure if everyone remembers that game 6 that Andre had for us to win. But every time they made a run, he hit a big 3. Right wing, right corner. And then obviously he was guarding LeBron. Now,— I think people will look at it and say, but look at LeBron's numbers. But what people doesn't understand is you never shut these guys down. Like, you don't. Like, you're not gonna look and say, oh man, he held LeBron to 17 points. Like, no one fucking holds LeBron to 17 points. Like, your job is to make it tough. And I think Andre made it very tough. And then he had a couple games offensively that he was light. Out. So then Steph, Steph doesn't go on to win and LeBron's performing incredible and all of those things. But then you fast forward to 2017 and I don't think the outside world gave Kevin enough credit. I think if you came within our organization, Kevin was given all the credit because quite frankly, Steph Curry doesn't care. Like, He would have never opened the door to his home to you if he did care. Because guess what we know? We know Kevin Durant is absolutely incredible. We know Kevin Durant is a superstar. So if I open my home to you, I'm already accepting the fact that I'm sharing my light with you. I'm sharing my stage with you. Clearly, it's totally fine. And I think for us within the organization, We did everything we could to make Kevin comfortable. We did everything we could to let him know, just like this our home, this is your home too, brother. But the outside world didn't. The outside world, he's joining a team that won 73 games. He's joining a team that already won a championship and blah, blah, blah. But the reality is, is I don't think that team wins another championship if Kevin doesn't come. Come. Now you may say, oh yeah, but y'all won the fourth one without Kevin. But there's a gap in there where teams started to figure us out. And would you—

would you guys have beat Houston? Yeah, those two years without Kevin?

Yeah, we was beating them for sure. That team was never going to beat us. It just was not going to happen.

What about— what about the Cavs then?

We would not have beat the Cavs coming back around without Kevin. And here's why. Teams have figured us out. And I personally don't think at that point Steph Curry had figured out, I'm going to get a bucket whenever I want to. I don't think he was capable of that yet. I think he was still growing into that. And so because of that, once teams started to figure our offense out, we were starting to struggle more and more. I'm not sure if you remember that series of OKC where we were down 3-1 and we had to come back. And that's because teams had started to figure it out. And so what then in turn ended up happening was Steph still creates all the havoc that he fucking creates. Like I tweeted, Steph faced so many double teams and Kevin didn't. That's a fact. Like you can go look at the numbers or just watch the game. If you can analyze the game better than Skip Bayless. And if you watch the game, then you see that Steph's getting double-teamed. And Ty Lue then goes publicly and say, "I'm double-teaming Steph Curry every chance I get." Kevin wasn't getting double-teamed. But the reality is, is we got to a point where we needed to be able to give someone the ball that can just go get a bucket. And Kevin was already there. I don't think Steph was there yet. So it gets us through those 2 years. We get those— we get those 2 championships. But while we're doing that, Steph is continuing to work and evolve and most importantly, becoming the strongest dude on our team. And to this day, he's the strongest guy on the team. And that allowed him to score whenever he wanted because you can no longer bump him off his path. Like, I think about the Draymond Green— Draymond Green. Against Al Horford when he was picking on Al Horford in the fourth quarter of Game 6.

6K.

You think about the drive that he had where he boom, boom, boom, and then he just drove. Al Horford's riding his hip, and he just lays the ball up. Normally, Al Horford would bump him off his path and he's end up shooting a runner. He couldn't bump him off his path, and that's where Steph turned the corner and he became unstoppable. And now we're able to continue winning championships because he's unstoppable. And you think that process started while Kevin was there or after Kevin left? I think it definitely started when Kevin was there because in 2019 was when Steph really locked in on the weight room. And so that's where he kind of starts taking that bump and kind of bumping it up a little bit. And although it didn't show immediately 'cause then 2020 we were terrible and he broke his hand, you started to see in 2021 we were still terrible, but Steph was carrying us and he carried us to a play-in game and we didn't get past it. It was probably great because we would have got swept and that would have been the first series we ever got swept. So thank God we didn't make it. But I think you started to see it then, that growth and like, oh man, nobody can stop this dude now. And I think that really changed the complexity of our organization. And I'm pretty certain that's why we'll win 3 of the next 4 NBA championships.

Draymond Green.

—But when you look towards next year, sort of like you said you're gonna win 3 of the next 4, great for you, I hope you do. But when you look forward in the Western Conference and you think about threats, where do you see threats?

Clippers.

Clippers.

Knicks.

The Knicks.

Wow. Wow.

West! Where do I see threats? He said the West, all right? Can we leave the Knicks in Brooklyn out of this? He specifically did that so y'all don't boo me off the stage, by the way. Where do I see threats in the West? So I could be Memphis and be oblivious to it, or I could understand that they're a threat but not a problem. Memphis is a threat. —because, like, they're young and talented. Now, will they keep that together? Because I think a huge part of them is, like, their camaraderie and being young all together. But then you see they just traded D'Anthony Melton, you know? So you start to see those pieces get pulled out, and it's not the same vibe. So then can they recapture that? But they're a threat—not a problem, but a threat.

Mm-hmm.

The Clippers got Ty Lue as their coach, who I arguably—

Thank you.

Is arguably— I mean, I have a great coach myself, Steve Kerr. But for the sake of the old media debates, Ty Lue is arguably one of the best coaches in the NBA. Arguably the best. You know, someone can make that argument. And then they have great players. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, the guys that they're filling in around them with. You go, you go pull a trade off and get Robert Covington and—

Norman Powell.

Norman Powell. And you already have Marcus Morris there and Reggie Jackson. They're a real threat. Batum may, probably will resign there. Like, that's a real threat and a problem. Like, they're a threat and a problem. But other than that— Were you surprised? Were you surprised Dallas got there? I'm sorry. Dallas is a threat because they have one of the best players to play. And when you have, like— like, by all means, don't get it twisted. There were a lot of reasons we won the Finals, but We had the best player on the court every series we played in. So your chances of winning goes through the roof. In most series that Luka Dončić plays in, he's gonna be the best player on the floor. So because of that, you'll always give yourself a chance. And then they got Nico Harrison, who, I mean, you and I both know how Nike negotiate, and that was Nico negotiating those contracts. So they got Nico doing the job with J-Kidd, And I think their secret ingredient to their thing is Jared Dudley. Jared Dudley is one of the smartest guys that I've been around when it comes to basketball. And you know, Duds is very smart. So I think that's their secret ingredient. So Memphis, I mean, Dallas is a threat. Can't quite say they're a problem yet, but they are 100% a big threat. Memphis is a little threat. Dallas is a big threat.

I would love for Draymond to explain what new media is. Can you explain what it is?

100%. Most people think, and I know that was kind of the perception of the media as well when I first started saying like, the new, by the way, the leader of the new media is JJ Redick, just so y'all know, it's not me.

Woo!

This guy on TV every day, holding it down. So I got a lot of appreciation for JJ.

He picked against you, but go ahead.

No, that's totally fine. See, I don't—

I didn't change my pick mid-series.

I don't have a problem. I don't have a problem with somebody picking against us. Stand on it, be knowledgeable, and don't just pick against you because you're a hater. Don't pick against us because you're a hater. And so that's what I have a problem with. There's no hate there. He had analysis that shit was wrong, but he did analyze. And so you gotta get him some credit.

I admit I was wrong, Draymond.

I admit I was wrong. The way you talk me dick, I gotta get you back. But the new media, and like I said, everyone thought, I'm speaking like, oh, athletes doing podcasts or athletes doing media. Like athletes been doing podcasts. JJ Redick, CJ McCollum, athletes been doing media. Like you've been seeing athletes go up on a stage and try to debate with Stephen A. He tried to get me up there. I'm no fool. I didn't go to law school. I'm not going up there. But— I'll go on Stephen A's show. I'm not going to debate on First Take. But the new media, the new media, I think when you look at the game of basketball, what's been lost is I can turn on the TV and I can learn about the game of basketball. I can get the X's and O's and the ins and outs and the understanding that there's a game within the game. See, most fans don't understand that there are so many little games within the game. And if you don't understand them, you'll miss them. And so when I said the new media, I'm saying analyzing these things, talking about the game and understanding, giving flowers when flowers is due and not just trying to bash a guy every chance that I get. Like, no, it's okay to give flowers because you think about the old day and age, like, guys get mad that we hang together or that we work out together. It's the old mindset. And I feel like in media, we see a lot of that same mindset and you're criticized with that same mindset. And I don't understand it. And so for me, the new media is simple. It's very simple. It's actually analyzing the game of basketball. It's actually giving those flowers when flowers is due. It's being critical. It's not just saying, "Oh man, Steph Curry was great, and when he wasn't great, I'm not gonna speak on it." Be very critical, but tell us the whole truth and break down why Steph Curry wasn't great. Don't just tell me, "Steph Curry was bad, he did this," or you don't say he did this. He was bad, he was terrible, His legacy is gonna be hurt and this, that. But why was he terrible? Can you explain that to me? Can you help me, the average fan that don't quite understand on Stephen A's level, he explains, but who don't quite understand on some of the other guys' level, can you help me better understand what you're saying? And I think that's been lost. And what's replaced it is titles and headlines and hot takes for clickbait.

There's a flip side to that story.

I know.

Everything that Draymond Green just said to y'all is total truth. It's just that there's more to it. For example, you could know exactly what you're talking about, and because you're not in that locker room, there's a slew of players that'll never admit it. See, What I believe Draymond Green misses is that he's one of the most authentic, real, honest brothers in professional sports. Let me give you the flip side to you and JJ. JJ is an honest dude, a brilliant mind.

Absolutely brilliant. I didn't— I didn't pay you.

He did not pay me. He did not pay me that. Nice things about me. I want to be clear on that. Giving him that free. So much so, I can tell you right now, there are people who absolutely positively love the ground that JJ walks on. And then there are people that despise him when they watch him on television because they think he's just so arrogant. And I'm going like this. He's incredibly knowledgeable. He knows it. And he's not apologizing for it. I love it. It works for First Take. Thank you. It works for television. Why would I want him to be any different? But here's the thing. Draymond is all the things that I mentioned, plus outspoken. JJ's the kind of person that, depending on his mood on a particular day, he'll explain. And on another day, I don't feel like talking to your ignorant ass. Now, he won't say it, but that's his attitude.

I say it with my body language.

There we go. There we go. He says it with his body language. And so what happens is If you know that, understand there's an abundance of people out there who will come and have some semblance of the truth. But if they're not in that locker room with you, and then everyone they walk into ain't Draymond. And so where do you go from there? You're talking about the game, you've talked to the coach, you've talked to other players, you've talked to an executive, you've watched with your own two eyes, you lean on your level of knowledge from years of watching the sport. And you deduce this opinion. If everyone was like Draymond, Draymond would have— his point would be unimpeachable. The problem is most dudes ain't. And so as a result of it, now you've got the other stuff to lean on. Then there's another point. You do have dudes who paved the way for the Reddicks, the Draymonds, and others.

Absolutely.

They will never admit they pick up the phone or they text and they call Stephen A. And various others, hold them accountable. Say this, say that. Don't let them off the hook. You wouldn't have let us off the hook. Come on now, there's a standard here, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So then we sound old school, but what somebody like me speaking solely for myself in this particular situation, I'm letting the modern day player know, this is what they saying about you. I'm not telling you who. I'm not even saying they're saying it, but I'm looking at y'all like, Where the hell you think I get this from? Why the hell would I bring up something from 1985? Why would I bring up something from 1990? That's 30 years ago. Why would I do that? I want y'all to know, listen, there's a standard. When they go and they talk to the league, when they go and they talk to other owners, when they go and they talk to other executives and coaches and scouts and player developmental guys and all of this other stuff, they're saying these things about y'all. And a lot of times— Draymond Green. A lot of times, I'd say 90% of the time, it's people within the same locker room, people within the same organization. And so when Snoop Dogg came on my radio show one day, 'cause Snoop Dogg and I have talked on many occasions, obviously, he was like, "You ain't selling out, you looking out." That's what he was saying. He's like, "You tipping them off about what they—" I was doing a commercial with Beast Mode, Marshawn Lynch. And he was like, "Yo, man, I didn't know you were this cool. I didn't know." Because I said to him, I'm telling y'all, and I don't have everybody's number, and I don't have time to call everybody, but if I say it, I got it from somewhere. And so what I appreciate is guys like him who are smart enough to know, yeah, he doing his homework, but people calling him, people saying this stuff, he ain't just blowing smoke, because you can read between the lines. And outside of that, again, when you talk about new media, all of that comes with it, because see, for me, I love the fact that y'all got podcasts. I love the fact that y'all are making noise. I love the fact that y'all are resonating. But you know what I love most? The fact that y'all ain't scared to talk to somebody like me. In other words, let's get it on. You got something on your mind? JJ, JJ, look me dead in my face. I don't know what the hell you talking about. This makes no sense whatsoever. I like— I'll see you at 10 o'clock. Let's go. That's the way it's supposed to be. And then we end the segment, we smile, give each other a hug. See you tomorrow. That's the way it's supposed to be.

Draymond Green.

Because you have these experts that does all this talking, less analyzing, but a bunch of talking heads. And they just talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. But what about getting back to actually analyzing the game? What about, um, like, why, why is it so important to try— I know why it's important, actually. But all these hot takes, like, what about explaining the game of basketball and what's going on and like what it means and the games within the game and the advantage, the advantages that one could get. Winning the NBA Finals, for those of you that don't understand, it is the smallest edge that it takes is that, and that's who's gonna win the NBA Finals. It's the smallest edge. It's not who can score the most points. It's not, is Steph Curry gonna score 39 points and Jayson Tatum gonna score 29 points or 39 points or what? It's not that. That's not what wins you the NBA Finals. It is the smallest edge that wins someone the NBA Finals. And because all these dumb talking heads never done it. They don't understand it. Even the one that has done it don't act like he's done it because he's an idiot and a moron and wasn't really that good of a player. And so I'm talking about Kendrick Perkins, by the way. Um, like, so he don't even understand, like, how to even talk, speak about winning a championship and the things that go into it. If I'm ranking parades because we live in this society that's always trying to, like, rank and compare dumb shit. I think that may have been the best parade. Why was it the best parade? For a few reasons. Number one, Steph Curry was acting up and you just never see that. Like when we won before, Steph didn't act up. Steph was acting up. Klay Thompson was acting up. I mean, this man, by the way, I know we all saw the video, or if you have not seen the video, please go to your Instagram and find the video of Klay Thompson stumbling. The guy stumbled 5 steps, then he hits, he like runs over the girl and immediately catches his balance, which was the great part. It's like, you run this girl over and that's how you catch your balance. If that girl was not right there, the girl that Klay Thompson ran over, I mean, that ends badly for Klay. Number one, he's tripping on the little— like, I don't know what these called, so forgive me and all the smart people out there that's going to comment and be like, it's called this. Thanks in advance. But the metal little cage thing that's all over the streets and there sometimes on the side, he's like tripping. And I know like in that situation it's for— it's probably for the train system, the BART, or— The BART. Whatever train system runs, or whatever transportation system, I should say, runs downtown San Francisco on Market Street. I'm sure that's why the cage thing is there for that, but he's like tripping over that, and if he falls on that thing, that does not end well. Quite frankly, he runs the girl over and saves himself. I thought that was absolutely— the highlight of the parade. I knew after game 4, we knew after game 4 and really after game 3, but especially after game 4 that, you know, we had, that was kind of it. And so you go into game 5 where they, you know, we take a big lead, they fight back. The biggest shot of the series was Jordan Poole's shot before the end of game 5. Quarter number 3 in game 5, where he banked the 3 in? Why was that the biggest shot of the series? The reason that was the biggest shot of the series was because they had fought back in, in the third quarter, which we had dominated third quarters. They fought back in that third quarter. And when they fought back, they had taken the lead and Jordan hit the shot., and we went up 1 going into the 4th quarter. And I know to most people it's like, well, they only up 1, no big deal, it's right there. But what that did to them mentally, for them to see, man, we just had this incredible quarter and we're going into the 4th quarter down. It didn't matter whether they were down by 1 point or 10 points. To have the quarter that they had, to take the lead, And then go into the next quarter down, that for them, I feel like was a dagger when Draymond Green hit that shot. Now, did they quit after that? No. We went out and we immediately took over the fourth quarter of game 5. But you just knew like they didn't have, like they made the comeback, but they didn't have enough to get over the hump. And if they never took the lead and they're going into fourth quarter down one, it's a totally different mindset. But the fact that they took the lead and then they still went into the fourth quarter down, I think for them mentally, that was like a gut punch for them. And so huge shot from Draymond Green. Then you go into game 6, they start off, they make their run. We all expected it. We all expected like this, they're fighting for their lives in front of their home crowd. They're gonna come out with a bang. They start off 12-2, and then things start to change. And at that point, you knew we took that first blow. That was it. That was it. And then obviously we go on and we do what we had to do in order to talk to y'all the way we have been talking to y'all. Yeah.