Draymond Green has built a reputation on speaking his mind, whether people agree with him or not. For years, the Golden State Warriors forward questioned whether New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson could serve as the top player on a championship team.
As the Knicks marched through the playoffs and into the NBA Finals, Green remained one of Brunson’s most vocal critics. He supported previous arguments that Brunson’s size could limit a team’s championship ceiling and suggested New York benefited from a favorable path through the Eastern Conference. More than once, Green challenged Brunson to prove him wrong.
The Knicks star did exactly that.
Before the NBA Finals even concluded, Green publicly admitted he needed to apologize.
Speaking directly to Brunson during TNT’s coverage, Green didn’t wait until the offseason or hide behind a future podcast appearance.
“I want to tell you now because I want to tell you to your face,” Green said. “I want to apologize in one game. So I’ll say it right now to your face: I’m sorry. Then I’ll say it again when you go and get your ring: I apologize.”
Brunson responded with a brief but appreciative acknowledgment.
“Appreciate that.”
Green Clarifies What He Meant by a ‘1A’ Player
After the public apology, Green offered additional context on why he had doubted Brunson in the first place.
Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, Green explained that his criticism centered on how he defines a true “1A” superstar.
“The reason I said that is because I’ve been very critical of Jalen Brunson just not thinking that, hey man, he’s this 1A guy,” Green said.
Green argued that only a select group of NBA players belong in that category. To him, a 1A player remains the unquestioned best player regardless of the roster around him.
“When I say 1A, what I’m saying is no matter what team you go to, you’re the guy,” Green said before referencing stars such as Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Kawhi Leonard.
According to Green, only five to seven players across the league fit that description.
He also pushed back on the idea that his comments were meant as a personal slight toward Brunson.
“And so it’s never like a shot,” Green said.
Still, Green acknowledged that Brunson’s postseason performance forced him to reevaluate his position.
“I am not somebody who can’t say they’re wrong.”
Brunson Backed Up His Play With Results
Green’s change in tone did not happen because of a single game.
Brunson consistently delivered throughout New York’s Finals run, but Game 4 served as the clearest example of why opinions around the league started to shift.
The Knicks guard finished with 36 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a dramatic 107-106 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. He knocked down back-to-back clutch baskets during the final minutes and helped New York complete the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.
Through the first four games of the series, Brunson averaged nearly 30 points per game while repeatedly delivering in the biggest moments.
That level of production made it increasingly difficult for even longtime skeptics to hold their previous positions.
Former Knicks guard Chris Childs had publicly argued before the series that any apology from Green needed to match the volume of the criticism. Green ultimately did exactly that, delivering his admission on national television with Brunson sitting directly across from him.
Whether the Knicks finish the job in Game 5 or later in the series, Green’s apology has already become one of the most memorable moments surrounding New York’s championship pursuit.
Draymond Green Opens Up About Why He Owed Jalen Brunson an Apology