Getty Draymond Green & Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.
Draymond Green has some serious thoughts on the NBA’s rule changes, and he isn’t afraid of sharing them.
The Golden State Warriors‘ outspoken forward at a press conference over the weekend shared exactly what he thought about referees no longer calling fouls when offensive players make “overt, abrupt or abnormal non-basketball moves.” He also made clear the impact he believes the shift has had on the overall quality of the game.
Anthony Slater, of The Athletic, posted video of Green’s comments on Twitter Sunday, October 31.
Draymond Green: “Can I also say how satisfying it’s been to watch the game of basketball without all those bullshit fouls?”
“Can I also say how satisfying it’s been to watch the game of basketball without all those bull**** fouls?” Green said.
Green Says He Stopped Watching NBA Because of Bogus Calls
GettyDraymond Green reacts to a play in a game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Green’s comments didn’t stop there.
“I’ve been really enjoying basketball this year. I kinda had to stop watching the NBA a bit because it was just too much flailing and flopping and guys cheating the game to get free throws,” Green continued. “And so I think that’s been great, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that.”
Green added that NBA referees may even be under-calling games now, but that it’s likely an adjustment from how many non-fouls they were obligated to call because offensive players were launching themselves into defenders. Green said he thinks the refs are moving toward finding a “happy medium.”
“The game is flowing better, and I think you’re seeing much better basketball,” he added. “You’re not seeing (games end) 147-139.”
Some NBA Players Feel Polar Opposite of Green on Rule Changes
GettyTrae Young and the Atlanta Hawks kick their season off against the Mavs.
It is no surprise that Green, a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year who is often described as a genius on the defensive side of the ball, is in favor of referees pocketing the whistle on as many contact plays as possible. But not every star in the league agrees with him, particularly not offensive juggernauts who have made a lot of their money getting to the free-throw line.
One such player is Trae Lance, of the Atlanta Hawks, who spoke publicly about the rule changes after a loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday, October 28. Young scored just 15 points in the loss, attempting only 3 free-throws.
“I don’t want to get fined too much, but it’s frustrating,” Young told reporters during the postgame press conference. “There’s a lot of missed calls.”
“Veering back and jumping into guys, that’s different,” the Hawks’ point guard continued. “There are certain things that I agree with the rule changes. But then there’s things that are still fouls, and guys are going to get hurt, especially a smaller guy like me who’s going up against bigger and stronger defenders. They’re using their body and they’re using their legs and their hands to stop me.”
Six games into the season, Young is averaging three fewer points per game than the 25.3 he put up per night last year, according to Basketball Reference.
James Harden, of the Brooklyn Nets, has also been impacted by the rule changes, which has resulted in his own open criticism of the league’s new rules. Through six contests this season, Harden’s average is down nearly 6 points per game from the 24.6 points he scored per night last year. Currently, he’s averaging 18.7 points per game, according to Basketball Reference.
While Green is most likely correct that the referees will find some compromise between the way the game used to be called and how it’s been called early this season, players like Young and Harden will undoubtedly be forced to adjust. Either that, or they’ll pay the price for it on both the stat sheet and in the win column.