The Golden State Warriors had a rough finish to their season, bowing out in the play-in. Former NBA guard Austin Rivers criticized forward Draymond Green for saying he could have been a better offensive player with a different coach.
Green believes he could have been a different kind of weapon if Steve Kerr weren’t his head coach. Rivers called Green out on his podcast, and then Green went after him hard. Green insinuated that the only reason he had an NBA career was because of his father.
Now Rivers has decided to fire back at Green after he “crossed a line”, according to Rivers.
GettyDenver Nuggets guard Austin Rivers dribbles the ball. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Austin Rivers Goes Back After Warriors Forward Draymond Green
Rivers was not pleased that Green brought Doc Rivers into the conversation. He first went after the assertion that he and Green were the same player in high school.
“First off, Draymond, we weren’t the same players in high school. I don’t care about our numbers being similar. I did it at the national level, the top level. Hence, why I won the Naismith award, and I got every award you can think of in high school. I was ranked number one. You were ranked, I don’t know.”
Rivers moved on to college, crushing Green for having to stay longer than one year.
“You were actually a really good college basketball player. But it’s hard to compare when I was only there for six months. Something you could never do.”
Rivers did give credit to Green for being the better NBA player between the two, but he had a reason why that was the case.
“Draymond, you are the luckiest basketball player I think I’ve ever seen. Especially in modern-day history. Let’s talk about that. You were drafted to a team with a Hall of Fame front office, Bob Myers. Hall of Fame coach Steve Kerr. The greatest shooter of all-time, and perhaps a top-five player all-time, Steph Curry, Hall of Famer. One of the greatest shooters, top-five shooter all-time, another Hall of Famer, Klay Thompson…cut it out.”
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green reacts during a game. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Austin Rivers Won’t Let Feud with Draymond Green Die
During the entire three-minute video, Rivers continued to name multiple teammates that Green played with on the Warriors, who all helped Green become the player he is today. Rivers believes that Green wouldn’t have become the Hall of Fame player he is now if not for the organization.
With it being the offseason for Golden State, there’s a good chance that Green could fire back at Rivers yet again. It’s not like Green has much else to do with the Warriors not participating in the postseason. Until the situation is settled with Kerr, they don’t have much of a plan with the roster, either.
This season, Golden State had the 12th-worst offense in the league during the regular season. Green’s poor shooting ability certainly contributed to that.
Austin Rivers Crushes Warriors Draymond Green for Criticism Thrown His Way