It was an awkward sight on ESPN this week as Warriors star and four-time champion, Draymond Green, tried to take a shot at Charles Barkley live on the set of ‘Inside the NBA.’
The moment came after iconic power forward Charles Barkley delivered some harsh words to Draymond, stating that the Warriors were done and that the dynasty is over. In response, Green felt compelled to call out Barkley’s last years in the NBA, when he was a shell of himself on the Houston Rockets. While jokes are usually well received by the group, this one fell flat, and Barkley would later double down on his statement.
“My critiques of any player or coach are only about the situation,” said Barkley on the Dan Patrick Show. “He took a shot at me, but I don’t get offended. I’ve said things about guys, and they’ve taken personal shots at me. Last time you had me on the show, I told you I regretted those Rockets years, especially the last two, when I sucked as a player. But the Warriors haven’t been relevant for three or four years. They’ve been in the play-in, and when you’re in the play-in, you’re not in the playoffs. The Warriors have been in the play-in for four straight years, so they’ve been irrelevant. Old people don’t get healthy, old people die… If Golden State were relevant, he wouldn’t be in the studio with me! I wouldn’t trade my career for Draymond’s, I’m pretty sure Karl Malone wouldn’t, and I’m pretty sure Patrick Ewing wouldn’t. He’s had a terrific career, but to think he’s on the same level as us as players, you’d have to be crazy.”
Draymond clearly took some offense to Barkley dismissing the Warriors, but he’s not entirely wrong to do so. They haven’t advanced deep into the playoffs since their championship run in 2022, and that was back when they still had guys like Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Klay Thompson. But even if the Warriors were still relevant, Green doesn’t quite have the resume to shade Barkley as he did.
“I never punch down,” Barkley said on 98.7 FM. “Draymond’s a good player, but we’re not on the same level. So, I can hear, but I don’t have to respond to every time somebody says something about me. He’s a really good player, he’s had a hell of a career, but we’re not on the same level.”
When you compare careers, it’s clear that Barkley is a level above Draymond. Despite his status as a four-time champion and former Defensive Player of the Year, Draymond never reached the heights that Barkley did. He was more of a bus rider with the Warriors rather than the bus driver. Meanwhile, Barkley was frequently among the league’s best players during his day.
Over 16 years in the NBA, Barkley never won a Finals series, but he’s still one of the game’s best players. Over 16 years in the NBA, he was an 11x All-Star, 11x All-NBA selection, and the 1993 MVP. He retired in 2000 with career averages of 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 47.7% shooting from the field and 23.1% shooting from three. His worst season (his rookie campaign in 1984-85) is statistically on par with Draymond’s best year.
Ultimately, Draymond is learning the hard way about how much trash talk can backfire. As much as he has accomplished in Golden State, there are levels to this, and Green will have to accomplish even more before he can be considered a legend like Charles Barkley.
