The 2023-24 season was a challenging one for the Golden State Warriors, and especially Draymond Green . The four-time All-Star not only dealt with suspensions but also saw his image get tarnished after being hit with multiple fines and penalites. Speaking on the blatant criticism he received on the most recent episode of ‘The Big Podcast with Shaq,’ Dray admitted to feeling backstabbed.
More importantly, the person who disappointed him the most was Stephen A. Smith , as Green felt that the 56-year-old neglected their relationship to join the wave of critics that only questioned his character.
"I ' ll tell you one person, I haven’t talked to him much since - Stephen A. Smith really pissed me off, " Draymond told Shaq. "The reason he pissed me off was because he hit me. He's like, 'Yo, it's been hard for a lot of us to talk about you these last few days.'"
Dray feels SAS let him down
Considering that Draymond and Stephen A. were often seen exchanging mutual respect, Green firmly believed that the duo shared a solid bond - to the extent that if anyone tried to badmouth the ESPN analyst in front of him, the Warriors forward would defend Smith’s character. However, after hearing his comments, Dray became certain that SAS wouldn’t reciprocate.
Despite knowing him better than most, the four-time NBA Champion was so dejected that Smith took the easier route, joining others in throwing dirt at him simply because it was the popular thing to do.
"I know you got a job to do, but not at one point did I hear y'all say, 'Y'all are saying this person is f**ked up and this person needs help... Say what you want about the basketball player, that's fine, but I know the person,'" Green concluded. "To sit back and see those who claim to know and appreciate me as a human being just flowed with the narrative because it was easy to do."
In the end, the 6’6” forward expressed that it wasn’t just Smith who disappointed him - he lost respect for many others, too.
Smith has previously pissed off Draymond as well
This isn’t the first time Dray has been upset with Stephen A. Previously when he got suspended for punching Jusuf Nurkic in the face, SAS quickly questioned Stephen Curry’s leadership, criticizing him for not being able to manage or change Green's actions.
In response, Draymond later admitted that Smith’s questioning of Steph’s leadership pissed him off.
Considering Green’s nature, it's highly unlikely he will give Stephen A. a second chance, as the relationship has gone down the drain. However, don’t be surprised if the latter claps back with a fiery response in the coming days.
Related: Draymond Green on the possibility of teaming up with LeBron James: "Unless Bron comes to Golden State, I don't really see that happening"
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