Draymond Green Opens Up About Court Reputation — The Truth Behind His Court Persona
Draymond Green has been in the news a lot in recent years because of his unsportsmanlike behavior on the court. His suspension from the NBA in 2023 was the result of aggressive behavior that consistently put other players at risk and brought the sport into disrepute.
Key players picking up a ban is nothing new, but it always has a broad effect on a team’s future performance⎯which is quickly reflected in the NBA odds. This is why rival players, coaches, bettors, and fans all have a keen interest in the temperament of star players, it helps better form strategic team plays, inform wagers, enhance team synergies, and improve the talking points for any armchair punditry.
Draymond Green
Draymond Green is an American basketball player who has been playing professionally since 2012. Since then, he has played for the Golden State Warriors—an NBA team based in San Francisco. He found the sport through his college basketball team, the Michigan State Spartans, before being drafted 35th overall in the 2012 NBA draft.
He is a four-time NBA champion, a two-time member of the All-NBA Team, a four-time NBA All-Star, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. And credit to him—he’s achieved all of these accolades by the age of 34. He is famous for his steals, rebounding, and shot-blocking, which have earned him a reputation as one of the very best players of the last two decades.
On the Court
It’s not all celebration for Draymond Green fans, however. There’s a darker side to Green’s on-court behavior. Aside from his great form, there have been multiple incidents of him attacking other players during matches. He has stomped on the chest of Damontas Sabonis, elbowed Blake Griffin, and kicked Steven Adams in the groin. He has also kicked James Harden in the head, swung at LeBron’s groin, and attempted to elbow Chris Paul.
This, and other evidence, demonstrates an undeniable pattern of harmful behavior on the court that has earned him a reputation as someone who can’t live up to the expectations of being a good sport.
Behavior
Speaking recently to Howard Beck of NBACentral, Draymond Green acknowledged his behavior on the court. He said, “The person that I am, sitting here talking to you, is not the person I am on the basketball court. They’re not the same person. And it’s almost like, I know I probably sound crazy talking to you like this, like I got an alter ego or something, but when I’m competing on the court, when I’m doing my job, that’s not the same person you’re going to deal with on a daily basis. … And I’m totally fine with that.”
While not addressing the harmful behavior directly, Green seems to claim that there is a different side to him that exclusively reveals itself during gameplay. He blames his alter ego, in a statement that brings to mind Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde.
His decision to say that he’s “totally fine” with having an alter ego on the court suggests that he sees it as more of a blessing than a curse. While the alter ego can cause harm, it enables Green to perform at a remarkably high level in a sport he clearly loves. It’s also an acknowledgment that his family and friends get a toned-down, softer version of this world-class player.
Action Against Draymond Green
The NBA drew a line through Draymond Green’s career after he swung his arm into Jusuf Nurkic. This followed a five-game ban for harmful behavior toward Rudy Gobert. Despite the ban appearing indefinite at the time, the NBA reinstated him after just one month of being banned from competing. This was agreed on condition that he took a list of their requirements seriously. This included counseling sessions to talk through his behavior—meetings that are a popular solution for many Brits.
Draymond Green Return
While Green was out of action, his teammates competed in 12 games. At the time, Green was taking part in counseling where he could reflect on his behavior and reach his goal of being a great player who can control his temper. Games since his return have seen a more relaxed and composed player in Green, with no instances of harmful on-court behavior.
The change has been an overwhelmingly positive one for both Green and the team, with the Golden State Warriors enjoying a 14−7 run. This is better than their previous run when Green was causing harmful incidents during gameplay.