Draymond Green says he’s is not a member of the media, he’s a member of the “new media.” And he’s constantly willing to remind everyone of that.
Following Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Warriors and Boston Celtics, Green joined Scott Van Pelt’s SportsCenter on ESPN to discuss Golden State’s pivotal win.
“I feel like there are so many people out there that don’t really root for a team, or root for a player,” Van Pelt said to Green. “It’s like they’d rather root against players rather than root for them. That’s kind of an odd phenomenon and you’ve dealt with that. You’ve dealt with the pointed criticisms and the noise that comes with being on this stage.”
During his very long-winded question, Van Pelt essentially asked Green how he’s dealing with all the noise that surrounds the NBA Finals.
“A lot of it is also due to the way the media acts in today’s age, it’s all a trickle down effect,” Green said amid his response.
“The good news,” Van Pelt continued. “You’re part of the media now and you get to control the conversation from your perspective.”
“New media,” Green immediately chimed in.
“That’s what I said. And Stephen A’s part of it, as you said,” Van Pelt added with an awkward laugh.
“Go watch The Draymond Green Show,” the Warriors forward responded to Van Pelt. “I said Stephen A. SOMETIMES acts like the new media. Sometimes he doesn’t. That’s on you, but nonetheless, don’t just lump me in with media, baby. It’s the new media.”
As Van Pelt noted, Green’s able to “control the conversation” now, but that’s part of the problem with his crusade against the media and belief in athletes changing the industry by circumventing traditional journalists. Just because Green and other players with podcasts are talking about the NBA, it doesn’t mean they’ll do so without their own bias and narrative.
Green has a multi-year media deal with Turner Sports and his own show as part of Colin Cowherd’s The Volume podcast network, to say nothing of his upcoming Religion of Sports/Amazon special. And that’s all before retiring from the NBA. And despite Green’s vision of transforming the media, he chose to join Turner Sports and The Volume, two companies that would both acknowledge they’re part of the media.
[ESPN]