Draymond Green has made a career out of speaking his mind, on and off the basketball court.
His latest harsh comments come as a rebuttal to former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin, who called the Golden State Warriors star out for being “calculated” in his tough-guy image.
Earlier in the week, a clip of Martin’s September appearance on the On the Rocks podcast made the rounds. In it, the former NBA player says that Green’s intimidating persona was more premeditated than it seemed.
“I think what Draymond does is calculated,” said Martin. “Draymond ain’t did nothing to nobody who’s going to do something back to him … Ain’t nobody took him out the air, ain’t nobody hit him, ain’t nobody stepped on his chest, ain’t nobody did anything that he’s done to nobody.”
The Warriors star has said that he feels he’s been portrayed unfairly in the media and that there is an agenda to make him “look like an angry Black man.”
Green responded on the latest episode of his podcast by going directly at Martin’s NBA resume.
“The constant shots has been a little confusing to me because I don’t know quite where they came from,” said Green. “You would think someone that was the No. 1 pick that didn’t quite have the career I’ve had when you talk Defensive Player of the Year, or nine All-Defensive teams that I have. And he has zero? One All-Star?
“I just don’t know how you can continue to shoot at me when you underachieved,” Green added of Martin. “The shots they’re just a little baffling to me … Because if I stop playing today, my career was better, way more impactful … Your resume got to be a little better to just keep taking shots.”
For the record, Green never addressed Martin’s initial point that he’s more calculated than sincere in his aggression and toughness. Instead, he made it personal. Perhaps he proved both himself and Martin right in that way.
That said, as Larry Brown Sports noted, Martin has spent much of his post-playing career throwing shade indiscriminately, including at former coach George Karl and Ja Morant’s family. So he might just be a good, old-fashioned hater, and sometimes it takes one to know one.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.