NBA players are one of the toughest competitors in the world. They are willing to do anything just to get that win — even if it means shoving their opponents to the ground. Yet off the court, when they see a tinge greatness from their foes, they are not afraid to swallow their pride and show respect.

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors is known for this. He will get right in your face during games. But after the final buzzer, when you did great, he will give some respect to your name.

When a reporter asked him if he would want to see Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs retire, Draymond put on a puzzled look and said:

“He's a great player with a great career. That's his decision.”

Below is the video clip:

Green might appear to be mincing his words. But it's rare for him to give praise to his opponents. Safe to say that he meant every word of praise for Ginobili.

Ginobili is now 40 years old. He's now in his 16th season in the league, all of them under the Spurs franchise. He's a legend in his own right. A four-time champion, he also won the gold medal in the Olympics back in 2004 along with tons of other awards in his trophy case.

Fans would want to see more of him next year. His body can definitely still go toe-to-toe with the rest. But given his accomplishments, he has nothing left to prove. He doesn't need to play basketball anymore. But when you love something with all your heart, it's hard to part ways.