In the latest episode of the Draymond Green Show, the four-time NBA champion had a chat with Skip Bayless, where they discussed various topics relating to life, the NBA, and LeBron James. In perhaps the most interesting bit, Skip applauded Draymond for his swipe at LeBron during the 2016 Finals, when he called him a b*tch after getting suspended for Game 5. Surprisingly, Draymond recalled that moment in shame as he explained why it’s something he still feels bad about.
“That’s my brother, and it’s actually one of the moments I regret,” said Green. “When I use that word with people, and I’ll pull it out every now and then on the court, I’m ready to fight. So, I’m saying this word to you so that you can get ready to fight me. It is 1000 percent a fighting word. When I look back on that moment, it’s one I’m not proud of, especially with where our relationship is today. It’s one that, when I pull that word out, all respect goes out the window, and my respect for LeBron is through the roof.”
Green and James are good friends now, but that wasn’t always the case. 2016 was the peak of their rivalry, and Green didn’t have nearly the same respect for him as he does today. He was going at James with full force, resulting in technical fouls and heated exchanges that he would later regret. LeBron eventually got over the encounter, but only after the Warriors veteran came forward to apologize.
“Him getting over it was also me going to him and acknowledging that, and speaking on that. One thing I do not struggle with, if I’m wrong at something, I’ll apologize in a heartbeat,” Green added. “I can completely lose my mind, but if I’m wrong, and I come to my senses, it doesn’t take me long to realize I need to apologize.”
In many ways, the 2016 Finals were one for the ages. After winning 73 games during the regular season, the Warriors were heavily favored to win their second-straight championship. Besides heroics from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, it was Draymond Green’s antics and over-aggressive play that led to his suspension and gave the Cavs a key opportunity. They seized that opportunity with everything they had, mounting a 3-1 comeback to win the series and secure Cleveland’s first-ever NBA title.
That blunder will forever be considered a moment of weakness for Draymond Green. Had he controlled his emotions just a little bit better, things might be totally different today. What’s worse is that the incident isn’t even the worst thing Green has done. From knocking out his own teammate to taking himself out of games, Draymond’s history of antics stretches far, but this one interaction with LeBron is one he will never forget.
