Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green forcefully pushed back against recent criticism suggesting he has blamed his younger teammates for the team’s uneven start. As the Warriors (7–6) continue a six-game road trip that resumes Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs (8–3) at 9:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video in the NBA Cup group stage, Green used his latest podcast episode to address what he called a misinterpretation of his comments.
Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, the four-time NBA champion disputed claims that he publicly pointed fingers at Golden State’s developing players.
“I found it very interesting people saying, ‘Oh man, Draymond is blaming these young guys,’” Green said. “When in my statement that I made where they said I was blaming the young guys, I said we. We need to do this. We. And so to say I was blaming the young guys is essentially what you all would be doing because Draymond is actually someone who doesn’t go in the media and blame anyone. I actually go and blame myself.”
Green emphasized that leadership, especially within a veteran core, requires accountability rather than assigning fault.
“I say me. Do you know why? Because I know how to lead and I know how to win,” he continued. “So I point it back this way. So for all you guys who’s like creating stories because you need something to talk about to stay relevant — yeah, that’s what The Draymond Green Show is for. You don’t have to ever try to interpret what you think Draymond is saying. Draymond says what the f—k he wants to say, when he wants to say it.”
Draymond Green addresses Jonathan Kuminga’s benching as Warriors navigate rotation changes
The comments arrive during a busy stretch for the Warriors, who recently secured a 125–120 win over San Antonio on Wednesday night. Green also used the podcast to address forward Jonathan Kuminga’s recent benching, expressing support for the 23-year-old while dismissing the notion that Kuminga was being made a scapegoat. Green argued that starting versus coming off the bench is often overstated and stressed that championship-minded teams do not assign blame early in the season.
As Golden State attempts to stabilize its rotation, Green has continued to contribute across multiple areas. Through 12 games, the 35-year-old is averaging 7.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 41.6% from the field and 38% from three-point range in 28 minutes. His production remains integral to a roster navigating injuries, lineup adjustments, and the early-season challenges of a competitive Western Conference.
The road trip continues with Friday’s rematch against the Spurs before the Warriors move on to the next stop in the extended stretch away from Chase Center. Amid the scrutiny surrounding the team’s performance and internal dynamics, Green’s message was clear: he intends to control the narrative himself — and set the tone for the Warriors as they push deeper into the season.
