Getty Images Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green.
Draymond Green has had some mighty praise for LeBron James lately and the Golden State Warriors star was called out for showing a little bit too much love to his rival-turned-friend.
Green has been on his own victory tour after helping the Warriors capture their latest title — a fourth in the last eight seasons. But he’s also jumped at every opportunity to throw some praise James’ direction, which has rubbed Skip Bayless — a long-time LeBron nemeisis — the wrong way. Bayless went in on Green during a recent episode of the “The Skip Bayless Show” with some sharp criticism.
“Once upon a time during Game 4 of the 2016 Finals, Draymond, you called LeBron on the court a b—h to his face. You kicked him below the belt… and the rest is NBA history,” Bayless ranted. ” Soon after that season ended, it sure looked like you allowed LeBron to buy your loyalty, to buy you off. You became business partners with him. What a sellout!”’
James and Green faced off in the NBA Finals four consecutive seasons and things were indeed icy as times with a title on the line. But since Green changed his agency to Klutch Sports in 2019, the duo have grown tighter off the court.
Green Applauds LeBron James for Drew League Showing
The sentiment from Bayless has been shared by others, although it hasn’t detered Green from showing James some love. Most recently, he praised “The King” for showing up to the Drew League and putting on a show, dropping 42 points.
“It was one of the most incredible basketball games that I’ve ever been to. … If you were in there, you just felt it. It was different. It was big,” Green said on his podcast. “Bron going to play in the Drew League, like, that’s monumental. LeBron James does not have to go play in the Drew League. That’s insane. He’s in year 20 by the way. Still going to play in the Drew League. I thought that was absolutely incredible.”
Green also posed about it on social media and the praise drew an interesting reaction from fans.
“For everyone saying why do people care, have you seen lebron talk/post about dray at all?? This clearly a one way relationship,” one comment read.
“This is honestly getting kinda weird now,” another commenter weighed in. “Does Bron got some dirt on Draymond or what? He’s borderline flirting with Bron.”
LeBron Cited Draymond as Reason He’d Join Warriors
As noted, the love hasn’t always been reciprocated so publicly by James. However, the two did share a moment after Green captured his fourth title — matching James. On a separate occasion, the four-time MVP cited the feisty Warriors forward as a reason he’d like to join the Warriors.
“It would be Golden State,” James said on “The Shop.” “I would love to get into a pissing match with Draymond. I love when someone [is] cussing me out.”
Green also talked about facing James in the Finals and said that facing the Celtics really didn’t stack up to the challenge he battled previously.
“Well it doesn’t compare to, like, mentally playing against LeBron James, who I think is arguably the smartest guy to ever play this game,” Green said. “Not ‘one of,’ he’s arguably the smartest guy to step foot on a basketball court. So to say that it compares to that, it’s disrespectful to LeBron and it’s a lie to you.”
We’ll see how their relationship continues to develop or what kind of tension develops if they end up seeing each other again in a playoff series with significant implications.