Draymond crowns Nurkić and Bayless as ‘biggest enemies’ inside, outside the NBA originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green, fair or not, has no shortage of critics.
The Warriors’ outspoken veteran forward joined Shaquille O’Neal on the latest episode of “The Big Podcast with Shaq”, where he was asked to name the “biggest hater” of the NBA. Green went on to name someone outside and inside the league.
Their answers shouldn’t surprise you.
“The biggest hater outside of the NBA is Skip Bayless, for sure,” Green told Shaq. “The guy just sits there and spews hate. I hope to give him a catchphrase for his show because he’s dying. Like when you’re hating on LeBron James every day, for example, it’s like there’s nothing this man has Made to give you something to hate, as if you were a hater.”
“Inside the NBA I’m going to have to go… man, that’s a hard question, because guys are trying to hide their hate… the biggest enemy inside the NBA is [Jusuf] Nurkić. Hater. ‘Oh, he needs help,’ ‘That brother still needs help.’ How not, you need help. Big softie.”
Green and Nurkić’s fight originated when Green swung and hit Nurkić in the face in a December 12 game that resulted in Green’s indefinite suspension and Nurkić telling reporters after the game that Green “needs help”.
The two then exchanged words in a heated interaction at your next meeting on the court on February 10th. Nurkić then began to make multiple social media posts over the next few months, including tweeting a Looney Toons “that’s all, folks!” GIF when the Warriors lost to the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Play-In Tournament to end the season.
Green noticed this and returned the favor, repeating “that’s all, guys!” on your podcast when Nurkić and the Phoenix Suns were defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
To this day, Green wonders why Nurkić, of all people, mocked the Warriors’ early postseason exit when he has a 3-17 playoff record in 10 NBA seasons.
“How are you going to tweet at us ‘that’s all folks!’ and you have the worst playoff record in NBA history,” Green continued. “But you’re going to tweet ‘that’s all, folks!’ I can sleep for five years, wake up and you still won’t have half the playoff wins we’ve accumulated. How are you going to tweet that?
“By the way, we’re the 10th seed, man. Think about it, you’re sitting at home tweeting that the 10th seed is ready. Brother, we actually should lose. We’re the 10th seed, we barely skated through the play-in. ‘That’s all , guys!’ This is hate.”
Although the two players laughed once again after the other’s season ended, this in fact was not – nor will it be – the final interaction between the two on or off the court.