In this interview segment of the Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green questions Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young about the persistent "coach killer" label that has followed him throughout his NBA career. Trae explains his limited exposure to coaches during his youth, recounts his early relationship with first‑year head coach Lloyd Pierce—describing Pierce as a development‑focused mentor who grew alongside the young team—and reflects on the 2021‑22 season when assistant coach Nate McMillan took over mid‑year, leading the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals. Trae acknowledges that despite a strong bond with McMillan, the coach was later dismissed, and media narratives blamed him for that outcome. He then looks ahead to the newly hired head coach Quinn Snyder, expressing hope that Snyder will become his "Steve Kerr" and guide the Hawks to multiple championships. Draymond interjects with observations about the inevitable friction between star players and coaches, emphasizing that such conflicts are part of the job and not a cause for firing. The conversation underscores themes of media perception versus internal team dynamics, the evolution of player‑coach relationships, and the ambition to silence critics through on‑court success.
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I've had two coaches in my career, Mark Jackson, who was absolutely incredible for us. And I've had Steve Kerr, who is one of the most win— one of the most winningest— somebody help me pronounce the word. People, winningest people.
Winningest.
Winningest people in NBA history. And that's what I've had to learn from. It hasn't quite been that same path for you. Yet in being a franchise player, people blame you. Oh man, Lloyd Pierce this, it's Draymond Green fault. Nate McMillan this, it's Draymond Green fault. Now it's Quinn Snyder. Draymond Green, who I think is incredible coach, incredible basketball man. Happy you have the opportunity to work with him. But just walk me through what that journey has been like and what you're looking forward to at Quinn. Because by the way, we are who we say we are and we are the narrative that we wanna push. And so people try to push this coach killer narrative. Fuck outta here. Like the people that push the coach killer narrative never had a coach, but they say you're a coach killer, which I don't quite understand. And yet coaches are getting fired all around the league every day. But then people try to come label you as that. We not rolling with that. That's ridiculous. But just talk to me about what that journey's been like and what you're looking forward to with Quinn Snyder.
Yeah. Oh, that, okay. This journey has been tough. Like, 'cause to be honest, I didn't even have very many coaches growing up. Like I was every year, like I didn't really have too many different AAU coaches. So like being labeled a coach killer was crazy to me. But I mean, Lloyd coming in, he was my first coach and having him, like he was perfect for us. Like we were a young team. And the thing is, is LP would tell you he was brought in to develop guys. Like he was a development guy from Philly, like was getting everybody right. This is his first job. His first day on the job was basically my first day on the job too. So we came in together. I got nothing but love for LP, but a lot of people want to label it me versus him. Like, yeah, we had some, we butted heads a couple of times and certain things, certain situations, but we always had respect for each other. And so people don't always want to label that part and mention that part. But with Nate, like we got to the conference finals and he, Nate McMillan was our assistant coach at the time, or he had taken over halfway through the year and he wasn't even guaranteed to go further on. He didn't know how long he wanted to coach, but we went to the Eastern Conference Finals and we were winning and it got him his juices flowing. He wanted to keep coaching and keep coaching us. And we were all excited and doing that. And we wanted to keep rolling with him. And then—
Draymond Green.
Obviously he gets let go. I don't know if it was right after that next year or the year after, but people wanted to use me again as a crutch for that. And for real, like we had a really good relationship to begin with. That's the only reason why he stayed and stuck around. So people labeled me as Coach Killer. Two of my coaches in the league, like to be honest with you, it's— I don't really feel about it anymore. Like—
Let me tell you something, brother. You made Nate McMillan like an extra $10 or $15 million. But they say you killed him.
No.
That's a hell of a sword to die on. Extra $10 or $15 million.
Yeah, he got some money. But nah, I definitely like, I like, but I think Quinn, hopefully Quinn for me is my Steve Kerr. Like I hope Quinn is the guy that we win 3, 4 championships with. Like, I just, I mean, that's my plan. Like, I don't, I don't see it further. I don't look, I'm not looking past Quinn. Like, if something happens to Quinn tomorrow, like, if it happens, like, people gonna say it's me, but it's not. Like, I just, I want Quinn to be the next Steve Kerr for me. So I just, I've used and learned everything from all my coaches coming up, including LP and Nate. And so with whatever anybody has to say. Like I know where my heart is and my head is. I got a lot of love and respect and I've learned so much from both of those two. So I ain't got nothing but love for them. And hopefully Quinn is my Steve Kerr going forward.
So. Oh, 100%. And by the way, I've bumped heads with Steve Kerr a million times.
Oh, we know.
People say, oh, you bumped heads with this guy. So now he's fired. It's your fault. It's not true. You're gonna bump heads. It's a very intense job. You have the coach and his star player. They're going to go at each other at times. That's what the job requires. We've seen that over and over and over again. It's not gonna go away.
And y'all still, and you still fight through it. Like y'all butted heads throughout the year or something's happened. Like you've seen it's been public. And then y'all find a way to get back together and go win a championship. Like sometimes you gotta go, you can't, it's not easy. Like anybody who's been in this business, they know like winning a championship, getting past the first round is hard. Like, so winning a championship is at a whole nother level. So like, it's not easy. Like, so I mean, obviously like I salute you, all the guys, Bron, all those guys that be winning championships all the time. Like that's not, that's not hard. That's not, that's not easy. So.
I'm not.
I mean, when people say you don't have to go through anything, stuff like that, I mean, confrontation with your coaches and players, like sometimes it's good and it's what's needed to get better and push forward to be at the end.
100%. I'll tell you what, I look forward to you silencing everybody. 'Cause there's no better way to silence all the noise than to win. And you've won in your career. No, you haven't won a championship. But to get to the conference finals, that's so hard to do. And now you know what it feels like. Now you know how to work towards that, which showed this past year. You know, you get in the play-in game, tough situation. What do you do? You come out of it right away. Team who ends up going on to play in the NBA Finals. No, I'mma come in your house and I'mma beat you. By the way, on the day that they say, I'mma get traded, you know? And that takes a special person. What's up everybody? It's Draymond Green. Make sure you subscribe to the Volumes YouTube channel below so you don't miss any more of this great content going forward.
