In this episode of the Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green asks his teammate Klay Thompson to be "brutally honest" about how he feels when Draymond gets ejected or suspended. Klay delivers an earnest, emotional answer, describing Draymond as a rare "throwback" player whose intensity, leadership, and defensive presence are the "heartbeat" of the Golden State Warriors. He explains that Draymond’s absence creates a noticeable void on the court, weakens the team’s armor, and even gives opponents a psychological boost. Klay also touches on the heightened media scrutiny the Warriors face as the world’s most valuable basketball franchise, noting that criticism intensifies when Draymond is at his weakest. Throughout, both speakers emphasize the deep brotherhood among the core players, the importance of playing together, and the personal disappointment Draymond feels when he cannot contribute alongside Steph Curry and Klay. The conversation underscores themes of leadership, team chemistry, media pressure, and the emotional stakes of elite competition.
Chapters
Welcome to the brand new Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss out on any of our content. I'm gonna ask you a question that it's not on, it's not on any of this, but I wanna ask you this question and I wanna ask it because I'm afraid of the answer and I've never asked the question There'd be two people I'd ask the question to in particular, and it'd be you and Steph. Not really anyone else. But I'm very afraid of the answer. But be brutally honest with me. When I get ejected or something of that nature or suspended, What do you feel? How do you feel? What are your thoughts?
Well, Andre.
Well, please be brutally honest with me. It's gonna crush me, but I need to hear it.
Well, I mean, It happens. I mean, you know what, Dray, you're kind of a throwback player. Not a lot of, you know, not a lot of guys. I mean, the NBA is very different than it was, say, 20 years ago, 30, 40 years ago, where back then it felt like a nightly thing where it was just so physical. Now in the 2020s, times have changed. We, uh, we see each other so much. The basketball world is small from the grassroots level through college all the way to pro. Kind of know everybody. And I know, I always know your intentions are good. You're one of the greatest winners in the history of basketball at every level. So that trumps any statistical output you could ever have, whatever triple-double, whatever record, the one that means the most to me is that winning percentage. Playoffs, regular season, one of the greatest winning percentages in NBA history. So when you're not out there, it's like a piece of us is gone. And me and Steph are really nice guys, like, probably too nice, you know? And We could never be ourselves and have the freedom we do on the court without you. So when you're not out there, it's kind of like a huge kink in our armor. And I know the other team is very happy you're not out there. I just know that for a fact. They're like, they can, they relax a little bit. They let their hair down.
They— Yeah.
They feel a little bit more like they're— they pump their chest up a little more because, you know, our muscle's gone. Our enforcer, the guy, the heartbeat of our team is not out there. And so it does hurt, but at the end of the day, we've been through so many battles, reached the mountaintop, been down the mountain, had to climb back up, got there again.
Mm-hmm.
And now we have another real shot at this, uh, and it's been like a couple tough years, but still, we're still fighting. We're still, we're still in the mix. So it does hurt. It could be disappointing in the moment, but it will never take away from what's ahead of us and what we've done. So at the end of the day, We just need you. And then that, like, disappointment and that feeling of just, like, shaking your head, that just comes from, like, dang, man, we can't do this without you. So we love you and we need you so badly. And these young guys need you too, because Steph and I are— we're leaders, but we don't talk the game like you do. We don't inspire these young guys like you do.
And— Yeah.
Even when Kenny calls on you on film, and there's, there's going to be a void there always if you're not out there. And we're not the Warriors without Money Green. That's just a fact. And you can ask anybody in the Bay, around the world, who's followed this team. We would not be the Dubs without you. So that's where that, like, dang, not again. That's where that comes from. It's just like, man, it's just hard to— it's hard to do it without you, bro. Yeah.
I appreciate that, man. That, ooh, that took a lot for me. Nah, but I appreciate that. And you know, I think for me, like, you know, you go through these moments, you know, like—
And I don't think this would be that big a deal, say like 4 or 5 years ago, but there's just such a magnifying glass in our team nowadays. I mean, I think we're the highest valued basketball team in the world. So with that comes incredible media coverage, sensational at times. And when you're a Hall of Fame player like yourself, people are going to love to tear you down. Yeah, you know, for sure. That's gonna—
that's—
I've seen that in every generation of basketball, whether it be Dennis Rodman my favorite player, Rasheed Wallace, you, the media and fans, the pundits, they just love to point the finger, especially when you're at your weakest. So can't, we just can't let that deter us from what we gotta do.
No doubt, brother. And that's where I'm at with it. Obviously, like I said, I've, I think for me personally, when these things happen, Like the thing that I think about the most is you and Steph. It's like, fuck, I can't help those guys. Like I can't be out there with them. Like that's all I care to do. You know, it's like be out there with you guys, set screens, defend, find you guys like with great passes to get y'all shots. But more importantly, just be out there with my brothers. Like competing with the guys that I've competed with my entire NBA career for the last 12 years, won championships with. And I'm a work in progress and work, continuing to work into better myself.
Yep.
But I appreciate you and Steph, you know, for always sticking with me, being right by my side no matter what.
Oh yeah.
That brotherhood I don't take for granted at all.
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