GOLDEN State Warriors star Draymond Green’s issues have reportedly left NBA bosses questioning teammate Steph Curry’s leadership.
Four-time NBA All-Star Green, 34, was ejected for a career-high fourth time this season after arguing with an official during their 101-93 win against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green (C) was ejected for a career-high fourth time this season during their 101-93 win against the Miami HeatCredit: Getty
First Take guest Jay Williams claimed some ‘High-level people’ within the NBA have begun to question teammate Steph Curry’s leadershipCredit: ESPN/First Take
Curry, a 10-time NBA All-Star, has supposedly been called out, ‘for him not controlling Draymond’Credit: Getty
Following the sequence, just four minutes into the game, an emotional Curry, 36, could be seen clapping his hands in frustration and even appearing to tear up in response.
During Thursday’s episode of First Take on ESPN, former NBA star turned analyst Jay Williams claimed that he’s heard that some within the league have since begun to question Curry’s leadership, as Green’s behavioral issues continue.
“I’m getting texts from people that I really value their decisions. High-level people,” he said.
“And what these texts are reading is, ‘Well, how about the leadership of Stephen Curry?’ That’s where these conversations are going.”
I said what I said. I deserved to get kicked out at that point
Draymond Green
Williams claimed Curry was being called out “for him not controlling Draymond.”
Later, he even suggested, “Draymond Green is diminishing the ultimate legacy of how people are looking at the leadership of Stephen Curry.
“That’s what’s happening right now.”
Williams looked to make it clear that he did not agree with the Curry critics.
“I know him, I know how things have been addressed internally multiple times,” he explained.
“But what happens is, perception is reality for a lot of people.
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“A lot of people aren’t familiar with things that are happening behind closed doors.
“So, there’s a tendency when you hear them talk about it, people just keep tiptoeing around it instead of calling Draymond Green out publicly.
“Now, I get that. I understand that. That’s not the case cause we know what’s going on Legs (Tim Legler). But that’s what’s happening.
“Even if it is a smaller niche of people. These are high-level people now that are starting to look at it that way.
Curry was visibly emotional following Green’s latest ejectionCredit: Getty
“And by the way, that to me, is on Draymond.”
Speaking after the game, in which Curry racked up 17 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds, he told reporters, “All I’ll say is we need him. He knows that. We all know that.
“So whatever it takes to keep him on the floor – him be available – that’s what’s got to happen, especially at this point in the year.”
As for Green, he later admitted that ejection was the right call.
“I said what I said. I deserved to get kicked out at that point,” he said on The Draymond Green Show.
“And what I said, if I’m all the way honest with y’all, I kind of was trying to turn my body and angle it to go toward the bench and I said what I said a little too soon before angling my body to the bench.
“But yeah, it just can’t happen.”
Green has already missed 16 games through suspensions this season.
Whether or not he’ll face further discipline this time around remains to be seen.
‘I said what I said. I deserved to get kicked out at that point,’ Green later admittedCredit: Reuters
