SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors haven’t played a preseason game yet, but Draymond Green is already playing elite defense — with a smile on his face.
In the middle of Green’s media day availability on Monday at Chase Center, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler began asking Green a question by prefacing that people “worry about” him, attempting to reference the suspensions Green picked up last year. Before Ostler could finish answering the question, Green interjected.
“Why are they worried about me?” Green asked. “I am a successful Black man in America doing incredibly well. What’s to worry about? There are way more people to worry about in this world than me.”
Following more banter between the two, Green went on to say, “If you would’ve told me when I was 13-years-old in Saginaw, Michigan without a pot to piss in that you’d be sitting here and somebody would say they’re worried about you, I would’ve probably told them that they were out of their mind.” The two continued going back and forth.
Green: “Been here pretty much every night for 13 years.”
Ostler: “Not so.”
Green: “Very much so.”
Ostler: “You’ve missed some.”
Green: “We all have. Kevon Looney played 82 games two years in a row and everybody was celebrating. We all miss games.”
Ostler: “What I’m talking about, they want to know if you’re going to be here mentally…”
Green: “I’m always here.”
Ostler: “You got suspended.”
Green: “And? The guideline of getting suspended is something that’s in place because it’s a possibility.”
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Ostler: “So there’s nothing changed in that respect.”
Green: “I don’t know what would change. … I think my mindset has helped us do some great things. That’s pretty cool. It’s all about how you spin it. I love how you’re trying to spin it, but it ain’t my spin to it, playa.”
Last season, Green missed 12 games when he was suspended indefinitely after being ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul of Jusuf Nurkic in December. Prior to that incident, Green was suspended for five games for putting Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold. Green was also ejected on four occasions throughout the season.
This interaction between Draymond and a reporter after they said people are “worried about him.” pic.twitter.com/lwGno5A3oI
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 30, 2024