Getty Lakers star LeBron James
Even though the Golden State Warriors are 3-1 against LeBron James in the NBA Finals, one of their star players admitted how challenging it was to face the Los Angeles Lakers superstar.
During his media session with reporters on June 15, Warriors forward Draymond Green said the Boston Celtics are talented and tough to play against. However, the one-time Defensive Player of the Year stated it would be “disrespectful” to compare the 2022 Finals to what it was like mentally facing James.
“It doesn’t compare to mentally playing against LeBron James, who I think is arguably the smartest guy to ever play this game,” Green told reporters. “Not one of. He’s arguably the smartest guy to step foot on a basketball court. And so to say it compares to that, it’s disrespectful to LeBron and it’s a lie to you [the media].”
Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson faced James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Finals. The Warriors won the championship in 2015, 2017 and 2018. However, James and the Cavaliers took home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in historic fashion in 2016, becoming the first team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the Finals.
Green Has Praised James Before
This isn’t the first time this season that Green has praised James. In March, the Warriors wing said the Lakers swingman is just as much of a GOAT as Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan is.
“Everyone talks about when LeBron passes Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] does that make him the GOAT. I don’t think him becoming the No. 1 scorer makes him any more of the GOAT than he already is,” Green said on the March 25 episode of his self-titled podcast. “What I don’t like to get into is, ‘Oh, is LeBron the GOAT over Michael Jordan?’ No, LeBron is a GOAT and Michael Jordan’s a GOAT and they’re both incredible and they never played against each other. So how can we ever settle that?
“Like, it’s all subjective, and I hate that in sports. Like, no one’s running around talking about, ‘Well Google’s a better company than Apple’ or ‘Apple’s a better company than Amazon.’ No, we all just appreciate those companies for what they bring to this world. But yet we get in sports and we get in basketball and it gotta be LeBron James against Michael Jordan as the GOAT and who’s the best. They’re both incredible. They’re both great. They’re both GOATs.
“So when talking about the GOAT and which one, like man, that’s bullsh*t. Like I respect both of those guys. I appreciate both of those guys, and at some point, I hope this world of basketball catch up and appreciate that as well.”
James is the only player in NBA history to rank top 10 all-time in points and assists. The four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP is also the only player to reach at least 10,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists.
James Is a Big Fan of Green
James and Green are rivals on the court. However, they are friends off the basketball floor. They share the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, and have a ton of respect for one another.
In Season 5, Episode 4 of HBO’s “The Shop,” James told Maverick Carter that he would want to play for the Warriors if he could pick a team from the 2022 playoffs to join. The 18-time All-Star said he would love to be teammates with Green.
“It would be Golden State,” James said. “I would love to get into a pissing match with Draymond. I love when someone cussing me out.”
If the Warriors defeat the Celtics, Curry, Thompson and Green will be four-time champions like James.