Getty Klay Thompson #11 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors react after a foul call against the Toronto Raptors in the first half during Game Five of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on June 10, 2019 in Toronto, Canada.
Following the Golden State Warriors most recent win against the Detroit Pistons headlines were made as the players were leaving the court. Pistons guard Rodney McGruder attempted to walk towards the Warriors tunnel following an exchange Golden State reserve forward Juan Toscano-Anderson had earlier in the game with Pistons guard Wayne Ellington.
While several headlines arose from the tiff, including Warriors superstar guard Klay Thompson saying McGruder “might be out of the league soon”, even more words were exchanged the following day from Wayne Ellington.
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Pistons Foward Sounds Off on Warriors Stars
GettyWayne Ellington #20 of the Detroit Pistons looks on while playing the Washington Wizards.
Given the stature of both Thompson and forward Draymond Green, most would have expected the two to not consider the ruse and to leave it be. However we’re all human, and both displayed that by reacting in the moment to what occurred.
One person who didn’t agree with what was said was Ellington. He cleared the air for McGruder acknowledging him as a “hardworking and humble” person while calling Thompson and Green “unprofessional” for their response.
“First of all, I think it’s very unprofessional and definitely not classy for someone to attack Rodney’s career … he’s one of the most hardworking and humble, down to earth guys we have in this league,” Ellington stated to reporters via Bleacher Report. “For Draymond to sit up and talk all that type of crazy stuff behind the microphone, I think that’s the tough fake tough guy stuff.”
“I’m only going to talk about that situation once, man, and put it behind us, but I thought it was unfair for those guys to attack my man like that, and I appreciate Rod and I love him like a brother for whatever he did do, that I know wasn’t ‘tough guy’ stuff. He just probably walked over there and tried to clear the air with the guy.”
“The guy over there, Juan, is the one who started the whole thing. Rod is a a man of respect, like myself, and I felt like he took offense to whatever the guy was saying to me in the first half. I just kind of laughed it off and kept on going. Obviously, it stuck with Rod and as my brother, he took it upon himself to go and take the temperature on the situation and that’s what men do. We talk to each other eye-to-eye and face-to-face. There’s never been any type of tough-guy approach with Rod.”
Draymond Green’s Response to McGruder
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If Thompson was simply throwing shots at McGruder then Green could have been seen as unloading the clip. He did not hold back on what he thought about him, questioned when he became a “tough guy”, and stated how “no one scared of no damn Rodney McGruder.”
“I don’t know. I was in the locker room. But apparently he was taking up for Wayne Ellington. When the f–k did Rodney McGruder become the tough guy? I don’t know, man; everybody in the league tough these days,” stated Green via Bleacher Report. It’s crazy. I’ve seen a lot of tough guys this year. I don’t understand it. And don’t nobody do anything. Like if you really wanted to do something, you could have done it. Walking over there talking s–t like he a tough guy. Get the hell outta here. F–king tough guy Rodney. Tough guy. Also, I’m rocking with Juan T. Juan T was about to bring that Town Bidness s–t out on him. Yeah, I’m rocking with Juan T on that one anyway.
“Also I think it was something Juan said in the first or second quarter to Wayne Ellington. You got nothing better to do that you’re still thinking of something from the first or second quarter when you weren’t in the game. So apparently, Wayne Ellington must have went over to the bench. I guess he went and told McGruder because he hadn’t been in the game. Yeah, I don’t know. There’s too many tough guys in the league these days for me. But I know no one scared of no damn Rodney McGruder; like f–king kidding me? Insane. But Klay said it best. Klay said it best. Leave it at that.”
Here’s Draymond Green’s full roast of Rodney McGruder:
“Get the hell out of here. F—ing tough guy. Rodney…RODNEY.”
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Pistons Guard’s Strong Message for Warriors Stars: ‘Very Unprofessional’