Trae Young on Luka comparisons, being an NBA "villain," Hawks title hopes | Draymond Green Show

What's up, everybody?

Yo!

Got my Lobos, my water. Appreciate everybody being here today. I am excited to get back going. It's like, did a few after we lost, and then it just kind of gets boring and I stopped. And so here I am back, The Draymond Green Show, live here at the first annual Film Festival, Uninterrupted Film Festival. Is Maverick here? Of course Maverick didn't come see me speak. No, but I really want to thank Uninterrupted for the opportunity. I've actually been a part of Uninterrupted really since the inception of the company, and it's been a great journey. And to be here is just like a full circle moment. I got into this podcasting thing like a couple of years ago, and it's been fun. And I actually, when I first got into it, I didn't really understand what it was doing. I was just like, I'm long-winded, and on the podcast I can just speak and no one can stop me, and my answers don't have to be short. And so I just continued on with it.

Mm-hmm.

And, you know, then we were waiting, signed a deal with The Volume, who's been great partners. And we were kind of waiting on the traditional, I'm an athlete, let's find a host. And, you know, it's the traditional thing that we've all seen. And my thing was, it has to be the right host or I won't start. And so we went for a while and we start to get further into the season and I was just like, "Man, let's just start it and I'll host it myself and we'll just see where it go. And as we wait for a host, we'll just go." And it ended up being a blessing in disguise because I felt like it turned into something that we hadn't seen. You know, we hadn't seen many athletes taking their own show, running with it, being the host, holding the interview, speaking about the game and all of those different things.

Yeah.

It's uninterrupted. That's essentially what it is. And so just to continue to take the influence from Maverick and LeBron and the blueprint that those guys have laid out. And I always have this thing of like, not trying to be so different and make things your own that you twist it and fuck it up. And so I try to follow the blueprint that those guys lay out and— but be myself in following that blueprint. And here we are, the Draymond Green Show live at the first annual Uninterrupted Film Festival. So— [APPLAUSE] I have the honor of having a guest today, a guy who I've wanted to talk to for a while. Has a chip on his shoulder larger than the planet Earth. And I love that. And we're going to get off into that chip and how it's judged and how it's viewed. But I'm honored to have this next guest, a 2-time NBA All-Star, 1-time All-NBA, NBA All-Rookie First Team, none other than the great Draymond Green. What's up? What's up? Can we please get a better welcome than that? Jesus Christ.

What's up, y'all? What's up?

Thank you. Welcome to the Draymond Green Show, my brother.

What's up, man?

Like I said, you're someone who I've wanted to have on the show for a while, and I'm happy that it happened this way where we can do it live, we can do it in person, because I feel like you're raw and everything that you've done and the way you've come up, the way you speak, it's organic and it's natural. And I wanted to have this moment where it's just natural And I'm extremely excited about this. So thank you for joining me.

I appreciate you having me, bro. I'm excited about it.

Absolutely. So I mean, let's get right into it though. Growing up in Oklahoma, number one, talk to me about the basketball culture in Oklahoma. Because for me, growing up in Michigan, we all see Oklahoma and what's the first thing we think? We all think Oklahoma Sooners football. Talk to me about the basketball culture and growing up in Oklahoma.

Well, first off, appreciate you having me again. But for me growing up, like I was, I grew up in Oklahoma, but like a lot of people don't understand, like I'm a Texas kid. Like I was born in Texas. Like my dad played in Texas Tech and I was born there and I kind of grew up. I have a lot of family in Texas. So I think a lot of what is built inside of me is built from like my family roots in Texas. And even though I grew up in Oklahoma, I'm still a Texas boy at heart. So I just think like For me, I kind of stood out that way as far as like my competitiveness and what I like, how I thought every day and how I like attacked everything. It was just a different approach. I even played football like second grade till about eighth grade until I had to really give it up and make a choice. But I'm really a Texas boy. I mean, I grew up in Oklahoma, so I'mma claim that and I'm always gonna ride for my state, but I got a lot of Texas blood in me too. So I feel like that's where I got a lot of that toughness from too. Draymond Green.

And you definitely got a lot of that. Be careful, man. You may not be able to go back to Oklahoma talking about you a Texas boy.

Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. 'Cause I grew up, no, I mean, 'cause trust me, everywhere I go, I rep Oklahoma. It's on my signature shoes. It's on, I mean, it's on my pages, it's on everything. I rep Oklahoma, but I think a lot of people forget, like, I think that's a part of the reason why I stand out separately. And I'm trying to add that type of DNA to everybody in Oklahoma. You know what I'm saying? But like, that's, That's kind of like how I was kind of up. I mean, my upbringing brought me to.

Now that's incredible. Talk to me about you're growing up, you're coming up in the era where Blake Griffin goes to Oklahoma, Russell Westbrook's playing in Oklahoma, Kevin Durant's playing in Oklahoma, James Harden for a short stint playing in Oklahoma. Talk to me about the impact that that had on you and having those guys in that state playing basketball at the level they were playing it at while you were coming up?

I mean, it was big for me. Like, I'll never forget being a— I was a ball boy at the University of Oklahoma when I was in like 4th, 5th grade when Blake was at school. So I was a ball boy. I wasn't that specific game whenever Blake played Steph in college and everybody knows about Davidson coming to Oklahoma. And I wasn't a ball boy that game, but that year I was ball boy too. So I had a lot of a lot of ties to that university even when I was back a kid. But Blake was a big role model for me. And then obviously when the Thunder came, it was like the biggest thing in Oklahoma for us. We don't have an NFL team. We don't have a hockey team. We don't have anything else. We do have an NBA team. And so, but even before that, when it was Oklahoma City Hornets and Chris Paul was there, like before the Thunder got there, I was a big fan and a big admirer of his. And like, so I've been a student of the game since back then. But when Russ and KD and they were rookies and second-year players, players in the league in OKC, it was like my eyes was focused on them and how can I be at that level? You know what I'm saying? So like they've been big role models for me from a distance ever since then. And so Blake, I mean, like you said, KD and Russ, I try to take a little bit from every one of those guys.

That's incredible. When I introduced you, I talked about the chip. On your shoulder, being larger than life, larger than earth. As someone who came through this league and had to have a chip, second round pick, undersized, too fat to play this position, too slow to play that position, too small to play this position, I had to have that chip. And so when I watch you, I feel like I can understand you a lot more than most can because although you're a point guard, you're undersized when we start talking about the NBA. Talk to me about how important having that chip is and what it's done for you in your career coming this far.

Well, I mean, to be honest with you, I've been undersized my whole life. Like seeing, like I used to want to go play with my dad and like he would go to the Y at like 6:30, 7:30 in the morning, go play pickup with the older guys. I'd be, 12, 13-year-olds and wanted to go play with those guys and just jump in and just play with the older guys. And so I've always played up, like even on my AU team before I got to high school, I was playing up against older guys. So I was always a smaller guy. So I'm kind of used to that type of thing. But as I started playing my age and it was, started to level out a little bit more, I was able to show my skills and be better. But I've always kind of like used that undersize, that—

Draymond Green.

I mean, you're too small to— your game to translate to the next level. It's kind of like a motivation, like you said, that chip on my shoulder. But I don't think about it too much anymore because I know who I am, you know what I'm saying? But I definitely remember as a kid being a smaller guy, being on the sidelines waiting for my dad's team to lose so I could try to get on his team on the next one. Like, I just remember always playing up and being that smaller guy. So it ain't never been nothing new to me.

So that's interesting because I, what you just said, I try not, like I know who I am. I try not to really have that anymore. And I think that's a very interesting thing because, and I'll talk to you from my experience and I'm asking if yours is the same. So you come into this league, an underdog, chip on your shoulder. I came in a little differently than you. I was the, 35th pick, you was the 5th pick. So, but like I said, some of those similarities and the same things they were saying about me in a much different way about you. You use that chip every day to get you going, every day to push you past this guy. I wanna destroy this guy in front of me. You use that chip on your shoulder. And while you're climbing up, Everybody love it. Everybody's like, oh man, you see him? He has passion. You know, he don't take no shit from nobody. This, then that thing. And everybody applaud it. And then when you— and what it seems like to me, once you get to a space of you've had success as far as accolades, All-Star, All-NBA, but most importantly, As we all know, people in the world, when they talk success, they judge success by money. And so then you get the max contract, and all of a sudden they don't really accept that chip anymore because they're now looking at you like, wait, you're not an underdog, you making $200 million. Like, what you mean you an underdog? And so now that very thing that helped you succeed they're now trying to use against you. Has that been your experience? And if it has, how have you tried to adjust to that?

That's definitely, I mean, that's definitely been my experience from looking at it, from like what it is. But like, it's like that weird saying, like with Spider-Man, like with great power comes great responsibilities. Like I think me getting that mass contract came with a lot of responsibilities. And like, for me, that's how I look at it. Like no matter what other, what someone else says about me or what they expect for me to do for myself or for my team, like nobody has higher expectations than me, you know what I'm saying, of myself and for my team. So whether I get the All-Stars or All-NBAs or whatever, or I mean, like I did get the max, like my mindset never changed. Like I want more, you know what I'm saying? And I know once I get that, what came with it, you know what I'm saying?

The max.

The more scrutiny, the more the expectations rise, you know what I'm saying? When you get that type of stuff. So I understand that and I accept it, you know what I'm saying? Like, I feel like if you're in my position, you have to either accept it or just turn it down, you know what I'm saying? 'Cause when you get it, it all comes with it. So I've had to learn to really just accept it and then try to move each day, I mean, the right way. So I just had to accept it for real. Draymond Green.

With being the face of the franchise as you are, I mean, you've been a face of franchise since you walked into the NBA, which is a tough thing. Most people have a chance to grow to that. You know, you've been that from the beginning. Talk to me about some of the difficulties of that. 'Cause I think people just look at it and they think, you know, it's just basketball. Like how you perform, at 7:00 PM on Tuesday night, on Thursday night, Friday night. People have this idea in their mind of, "Oh, that's what a face of a franchise is." Talk to me about the difficulties of being the face of a franchise that most people don't even have a clue comes with that.

I mean, for me being like the face of the franchise, it's like, it was a lot tougher for me coming in to, the league, obviously being 19. When you're young, you're that face of franchise. You don't necessarily know everything. And if you don't have a vet around you that's really putting that into your ear on how you need to move, how you need to talk to your teammates, communicate with your teammates, spend time with them, because that stuff goes a long way. And I feel like for me, I was able to learn, thankfully, through a situation where we— I mean, we were rebuilding. And so we weren't really expected to win. So it was a place for me I can go and I can really learn through the, through the thick of things and playing through games and stuff like that. So I just, I think people don't understand when you're 19, you're coming in, you're leading, trying to lead grown men, you 30-year-olds, 28-year-olds who have family, kids, you playing video games in your dorm room all year, your freshman year of college. You just all of a sudden now you got to go spend time at dinners and nice dinners and all these things with these, with these dudes. It's like it's an adjustment period. And so for me, like, Thankfully, I was able to go through that adjustment period early on rather than now. And now I'm still relatively young and I'm able to learn a lot more. And I've had vets that came around like Rondo, like Lou Will, like Jeremy Lin. When I was a rookie, he had been through Linsanity and everything about him and everything. So I was able to pick their brains and ask them questions. And so I'm just thankful that I was able to learn through some struggles early on to be where I'm at now. And so— I'm with you. It's supposed to only be better from here on out.

Speaking of rebuilding, I think you guys did something that A, most people didn't give you a chance or didn't expect. You all went to the conference finals, like really ahead of time in that process of rebuilding. Do you think that changed the expectation and narrative on you? Because all of a sudden you're rebuilding and you're leading this rebuild, and then you go to the conference finals and now there's an expectation the next year. And the reality is you're really still in that same window that you were in. You just had some success. Do you think that changed things for you?

For sure. I think that definitely like changed the outlook of our team and where we were supposed to go and where we were headed. We were, like, we were on a track of just continuing to get better. We, I mean, like, we weren't the most talented team left in the playoffs, but we had some talented guys, you know what I'm saying? But we had guys that clicked at the right moment and it happened. But going into the next season, obviously the expectations are higher because you went to the conference finals. We went further than what we were expected to be. And so if we don't get better as a team, like, everybody's gonna be coming for us. Everybody's gonna catch us. And so I think that's what happened that next year, being knocked out in the first round. But like, I just— it definitely changes things when you go that far. I mean, you know, you win championships, you're expected to win championships the next year, where you ain't supposed to be knocked out in the first round. So it's like you, you have to learn through it and you go through it. And that's definitely something that I've learned through the process of whenever you get that far, you're expected to go that, that, that that same route or even further the next year. So I don't, I'm not mad at it because that's my expectations. I expected to go further that next year and I felt down when we didn't. So I'm never mad at a fan of our team that feels that we should be better than where we were the year before because that's my expectations too.

That's incredible. I have a question for you all. Do you think, I spoke about this earlier, I don't know, many, many weeks and months ago. About European players being judged differently than American players. Do anyone here agree, disagree? Nobody? I agree, right? Agree that Americans are judged harder, right? Okay, I agree too.

Mm-hmm.

I said all of that to say, Luka is incredible. Draymond Green. One of the guys I absolutely hate guarding, like yourself. Great player. You've been All-NBA, he's All-NBA. You've been All-Stars, he's an All-Star. Neither has won MVP. Both has led their team to the conference finals. Yet they have a play-in game, which his team didn't make the play-in game. Your name's being thrown around in trade talks the day of the game, thrown around in trade talks. Have not heard anyone ever say Luka should be traded. Anybody else ever heard that? I've never heard it. But you've done some of the same things. How does that make you feel? Or do you even think about that when— because you two are always compared because of the draft day trade. And so everybody's always comparing you two guys. Where is he in his career? Where is he? And the reality is when you take a step back, you're very close in points. You probably, I think you probably lead in assists.

Yeah, I'm for sure.

For sure. But the narrative out there isn't the same. Talk to me about that and just living that.

I mean, it's— I mean, to be honest with you, I don't even stress over it no more. Like, I just— I know the real ones get it for real. You know what I'm saying? Like, I feel like for me, once I win a championship, it'll even open up more eyes to what I've really done and what I've— I mean, especially to some of my peers that I'm compared with and compared to. So. To be honest with you, I have no hate towards nobody, especially Luka. Me and him talk, we talk all the time. Like we got a lot of love for each other, a lot of respect for each other. But I mean, I do agree with you. It's different agendas and different, the way people look at certain people is different. But to be honest, I don't get caught up into it. I feel like eventually people are gonna understand what it is and like realize that it's not that, far off. Obviously he's a really good player, hell of a player, but it's like, we kind of do the same thing. He's 6'8", I'm 6'2", 6'3". Like we just, we're different in size, but I mean, he can play. Like I can play, you know what I'm saying? We can both hoop. So at the same time, that's just what it is.

I respect that. And speaking of which, I wanna roll this clip from earlier this year. I went on Taylor Rooks' show And I said something about you and I really appreciated the way you responded to it because people get in their feelings about a lot of shit. I mean, I used to get in my feelings about Charles Barkley, so I understand it. I really get it.

Me too, me too.

But people really get in their feelings when you say something like sitting on this media side And so I always can appreciate the way guys respond to it. And I love the way you responded, but I said something and it's right along the same lines of what you just said. So can we roll that clip? I personally think Trae has in his mind, he's taken on this villain role, like, and he's bought into it and he has dove headfirst in. He's good enough to take it on. And still play well and still be Draymond Green and still be an All-Star and be fine. But I personally think it's the wrong approach. So what brings me to this is, you know, speaking about the agendas, because, and I, by the way, when I'm wrong, I've been wrong before in situations, as we all know. I'll be the first to raise my hand and say I'm wrong. I don't need you to tell me I'm wrong. I'm the first to know, trust me. That's why I don't appeal technical fouls anymore. I'll be the first to tell you when I'm wrong. And I actually said this wrong here. I said you're diving into this villain role. And the reality is, I feel like where that all was birthed really was the series versus the Knicks, where everybody in New York Knicks fans are fucking delusional. And miserable. And I love New York, so don't ban me from y'all city. But They're hard. They're a hard fan base. You go in the Garden, you hitting the shots, you bowing, every timely shot you need to make, you make, you making every play. And what I actually think now, in continuing to watch and continuing to pay attention to it, is you are very much so a showman. But yet that's been flipped. And again, talking agendas. Yeah. Into being this villain. And I'll be the first to say it, being a villain, it sucks. Like, it's no fun. When you— but when it's up against you, you either fold or you stand up to it. You go into it. And so I've stepped right into it. And people has now— Draymond Green. Made you out to be this villain when in fact the way you shoot the ball, the way you play the game, they don't vilify guys that do that, but they've done that to you. Talk to me about that. How you feel about that? Like, do you embrace it at times?

Well, like, first off, like you said, like, this shit ain't really fun being a villain. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I don't, like in that video I commented letting you know, like I didn't, I don't dive into that. Like I just, I kind of feed off the crowd. Like if you were listening to the game in the 10 minutes left in the first quarter of game 1, the whole arena was yelling, "F Trey Young." Like 2 minutes into the game.

Fuck Boston. They said fuck me too.

That's what I'm saying. So it's like, what do you want me to do? Like I'm just hooping, I'm playing. I ain't said nothing to the crowd. I ain't bowed. I ain't, say it's quiet as eff in here. I ain't say none of that yet. Like, I just really played off of, played off of how they, they, they, I mean, they guarded me and how the fans reacted. Like, I just, I come out playing, trying to win, trying to put on a show. And I mean, if the fans want to get into it, like in the, with the Boston thing, like they started yelling it in Game 5, late in the game. So it's like, I didn't say nothing to any Boston fans. I think they was all cool with me the whole time. And then Game 5, when they were up 3-1, that's what happened. And then we hit the game winner and that's why I'm looking at him. But it's like, I just, I really just feed off of the crowd. Like I really don't like being that way, but like, it's been that way since high school when I was averaging 40 my senior year in high school going to different—

Light flex, very subtle flex.

Got it. But that's kind of what it was. Like I was going to other arenas and they was chanting overrated if I wasn't scoring and I was, people loved it. And then I was scoring and finishing the game off. And so, That's just how I kind of was looked at. And then videos of highlights when I come back in the NBA, that's how fans just gravitate towards that. And then it's just what it is. But I'm not like that type of person. Like I'd rather just go out there, put on a show, have fun, smile, and get the win. So, but if it happens that way, like you said, I ain't about to turn down from anything.

So who is Trae Young?

I mean, really just a family person. Like I'm a, When it comes to basketball, like, I'm just so competitive. Like, I've just been competitive my whole life. If you win, like, I'm gonna make sure we run it back, make sure we can play again, give me a chance to run it back. But I'm just super competitive and I just, in everything I do, and I just, I try to bring my people with me and make sure my friends and my family is with me throughout the whole journey. And, but that's pretty much it.

New father.

Yeah.

Which I can relate to.

Yeah.

Soon to be married.

Next week. That's amazing.

Appreciate it. Appreciate it. Which I can also relate to. I've almost been married a year now. Talk to me about having your first kid. And what that has done for you as a man and as a basketball player. 'Cause I know when I, my son is actually here somewhere. There he is. What's up, DJ?

There you go.

I know for me in having kids, it gave me perspective. Especially you come home from a bad game, everybody, you turn on your phone, everybody say you suck. You're this, you turn on the TV, you're the worst, you're that. And like you walk in the house, kids like, "What's up, Daddy?" Yeah. "What you been up to, Daddy?" Like all love. I'm like, "Wait, I guess I don't suck as bad as everybody said. Like I must be pretty cool." But talk to me about the pers— just what having your first child has done for you.

Nah, like for me, like I said at the beginning, when I don't worry about like my height and my height when I'm playing anymore, like I just, I don't focus on too much of the negative attention and— negative things that are said about me or the false rumors that come out about me. Like, I'm, I'm focused on my team and my family and really my family first, especially with my son now being born. Like, ain't nothing like it, you know, it's just especially having a son like you just want to, you want to make sure you're doing the right thing. So eventually when he gets older and he's seeing everything that you're doing now, it helps him become who he needs to be. So I'm just trying to focus on every day, living the right way and making sure I'm a great role model. So whenever he does see this, this type of thing whenever he gets older, he knows that I was doing the right things and that he can follow it. So.

Speaking of son, role model, those words can only help or make me think of the word legacy. You're soon to be on your third signature shoe. And you recently just started a podcast, which I think is incredible. Talk to me about those couple things and how those things can add to your legacy and what you leave behind.

Nah, my signature, like you said, legacy is important to me, especially in my family. Like me and my dad talk about that all the time. It's about building that legacy and having my third shoe is so surreal to me. Like just knowing like my favorite players growing up by having their own shoes, going to the stores, making sure I got those. So I went to the court and felt just like those players, like, I needed to have that type of feeling. So to have my third shoe coming out here soon, before the season starts, it's an unbelievable feeling. And then obviously starting my own podcast is, I mean, influenced by, I mean, guys like you, those guys like speaking their mind and had certain things come out about them that's not really true, but you don't really want to go to the media because they may take it a certain way. So now you have— Now I have my own platform where I can I can speak the truth. I can speak my mind. I can speak on what's real and what's not. And I mean, there's been times on my podcast where I said I messed up in certain situations. So I just, I get on, I get on and I just, I speak the real. So it's just a platform for me that I can do that, but also break, break certain news and certain things. So it's definitely a good space now that I have a place and platform I can go and I can just chop it up and speak the real for a— For real.

I think it's incredible, man. When I first started this podcast, like, I did not realize the voice that it gave me. And not that it just like, oh, you start a podcast, you get a voice. Like, don't work like that. But people knowing where to find you speaking, like, speaking on the topics that you wanted to speak on, covering the things that you wanted to cover. Like, it's been absolutely amazing. So I wish you well. And if I can give you one word of advice, It's one of the most important things that I've done. Colin, Kyle Hurtt is here, who I'm partners with. And Colin asked me, he was like, "You have a day job. Why do you work like this? Like you're doing all of these episodes, no matter what happens, you're doing these." And the reality is, is because one thing stuck with me. JJ Redick told me when I first started the podcast, because I had tried it before, And I was so inconsistent. Like I do a podcast and then 5 weeks later do another one.

Yeah.

It's awful. Like I don't know what I was doing. And he said, if you're going to do a podcast, one of the most important things you can do is deliver your content to your fan base, to your listeners, your subscribers, when you're supposed to deliver it. You may be off a day, you may be off 2, But every week you have to give your listeners and your subscribers what they're looking for. Because if not, they're gonna leave your podcast. And when they leave, they don't come back. They're onto the next podcast and that's their thing. They're not gonna then leave that podcast and say, "Huh, let me go back and see what Trey's doing over here now." Once they leave, they don't come back. So it is very important. Like we have very busy schedules. So if it's for 15 minutes, 20 minutes, making sure that my listeners and my subscribers get what they've gotten on a weekly basis. If I can give you one word of advice, it's extremely important. And to work as hard. And so back to what Colin said, for me it was like, well, that's all I know. Like, as hard as you work at basketball, you have to work at the podcast. So The days that you don't wanna get up and go to the gym, there's gonna be days you don't wanna do the podcast. But if you're doing it, you have to commit to it because then that's how you make it great. That's how you build your fan base. That's how you build the audience. That's how your podcast gives you a voice that can't be taken away. Because I've built a fan base that wants to hear what I have to say. And I've built that by being consistent and delivering them content that they want.

Nah, you've done it the right way. You've done it the right way. We trust me, we all following. So I appreciate that.

No doubt. No doubt. And before we get outta here, I'd be remiss if I didn't speak on this. 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 this word.

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, who I think is an incredible coach, incredible basketball mind. 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.

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 it, 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.

Love.

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 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. People label me as coach killer with two of my coaches in the league. Like, to be honest with you, it is, 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 the game. 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 see it further. I'm not looking past Quinn. Like if something happens to Quinn tomorrow, like if it happens, like people are 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—

Yeah.

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 bump 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 mean, people, 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, 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. Like I said, but this will be it before we get outta here. Just wanna know, one of my favorite guys in the NBA, I don't have a lot of friends in this league. I don't. Probably self-inflicted wounds, but hey, it is what it is. I also don't like a lot of people, but I got a lot of love and respect for Dejounte Murray. And traded to you guys last summer, just signed an extension, well deserved. But you know, that's pairing y'all up in this backcourt now. Talk to me about what Dejounte has brought to the team. And you know how that's going to be moving forward for y'all?

Man, he's brought a lot to us. Like, I mean, it's crazy. Fun fact, our birthdays are on the same day.

That's crazy.

He's 2 years older than me, September 19th. So we already got a connection that way. But he's just like, he's just a real dude. Like you just, what you see is what you get. Like when you around him, you hear him talking, he talks about family, he talks about wanting to win, wanting to get better. I mean, him signing that deal for us now, I mean, just shows how much he wants to win. Like, it just shows how much he wants to— because he could have signed next year and got way more. I mean, still a lot of money, but that's— I mean, that's the type of person he is. He wants to win. He wants to make our team great. And I just know from us, like, we talk all the time. And so we knew that it was going to be an adjustment period last year with two PGs who are used to having the ball in our hands. So one of us gonna have to play off each other and play on the wing. Like we gotta learn that. So now we've been through a year and now we're going to our second year together. We've kind of got some chemistry together and we've been working throughout the summer too and talking and texting. So we, I'm looking forward to what we got going forward. 'Cause he's, I mean, he's a hell of a person before he is player too. So I'm glad he's on our team for sure.

And when it's all said and done, we get to the end, end of your career, What will Trae Young be remembered as and what does Trae Young want to be remembered as? 'Cause those could be two different things.

Not on the top of my head though right now. Like what will and what is gonna happen is the same thing.

There go that chip, I love it.

But for me, I just, I pray and I hope that I'm just looked at as one of the best PGs to ever play this game. And I know, If I'm one of the best PGs to ever play this game, I'm one of the best players and I've won championships and I've won certain things. Like it's, it all comes with winning. Like I remember my AU coach telling me, "Winning takes care of everything." So I remember being unranked and winning Peach Jam and becoming a top 3 point guard in my class. Like I just, I just know winning will take care of everything. And so hopefully at the end of my career, I'm looked at as one of the best PGs to ever play this game. One of the greatest players that ever played this game. And that means I've won some championships. I've helped some lives along the way in my communities and things like that. And I'm looked at as one of the best players for sure.

Y'all give it up for my clutch brother, Draymond. Thank you, brother. I appreciate you.

Appreciate you.

Yeah, yeah, brother. Appreciate it. Always, man. Appreciate you. I really enjoyed that. Just, oh yeah, I'm headed out. I'm gonna wrap this up for y'all. I really enjoyed that. Like I said, I respect guys who get it out the mud, who got a chip on their shoulder, who is all not lined up for you to succeed. And Trae, the challenges that Trae faced, they'll never change. Being that size in the NBA, like you're already a step behind. Like you already have so many uphill battles to fight and to become the player that he's become, but not only become, continuing to grow into, I think is special. And I love when a guy is battle tested. I love when a guy have to go through some shit. And that's what he has to go, he's had to go through. Like we discussed, people saying he's a coach killer and talking about trading him on the day he's going into a play-in game and all these different things. And yet he just keep trekking along, trekking along, getting better each year. It's hard to get better every year you come in the NBA. Scouting reports change, the way defenses are guarding you change, the way you're officiated change. Like I think people don't realize officials are like, They're human beings. They have feelings. Their feelings may change towards you. You may not get that call you once got. You know, and those are all of the things that he's been up against. And that's just to name a few. And to watch how he's continued to go and continue to carry a franchise. It's not hard. It's not easy to carry a franchise. And he's doing it and he's doing it at the highest level. Yeah. So I'm honored to have him as a guest. I'm honored to come up here and host the Draymond Green Show in front of you all. I thank you all for coming out. Until next time, that's a wrap from the Draymond Green Show. Uninterrupted. Thank you. Peace. 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.