It was a tough year for Draymond Green. The Golden State Warriors star forward could not catch a break when it came to sanctions handed down by the NBA. He was suspended and fined a couple of times, retirement was even being considered at one point. But, he stayed resilient and tried to help Stephen Curry make a last push for the NBA Playoffs. All of that happened with the white noise of the media ringing in the background. One particular analyst who goes by the name of Stephen A Smith made some statements that he did not quite like.

Warriors star blasts renowned analyst

Apr 16, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts after a play against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter during a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
© Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen A Smith is the king of hot takes. There is always going to be something bizarre to come out of his brain each and every day. It just so happens that he was there when Draymond Green was having a tough time with the technicals and suspensions. The renowned analyst had a lot to say about the Warriors star but none of it was liked by him. He unveiled his feelings in his latest appearance, via The Big Podcast with Shaquille O'Neal.

“Stephen A Smith really pissed me off. The reason he pissed me off was because he hit me. He's like, ‘Yo, it's been hard for a lot of us to talk about you these last few days.' You know for me I'm like, ‘Okay, it's been hard for me to watch but I'm watching it because I want to see everything that everybody has to say.' But, the thing that pissed me off is you telling me it's been hard for y'all to talk about me,” the Warriors forward said.

Apparently, Draymond Green and Stephen A Smith have sort of a friendship with one another. The star out of the Warriors system would always stick up for the analyst. But, Smith would rarely do the same. In fact, he would go on to blast Green for his actions that led to the suspensions to his performances which cut the Warriors' NBA Playoffs hopes short.

“Stephen A, any time I meet someone and they say something about you, it's never like ‘Yo, I like him. He's cool.' It's always like, ‘Man, f*** that dude. He's a character.' He's this, he's that. I actually say back, ‘I actually know the guy. The guy is actually a cool dude. You could take what you want from the TV screen. I actually know the guy.' Then, you get the opportunity to talk about me,” Green declared

Draymond Green urges Stephen A Smith to change his ways

So, what does Green propose Smith do? Well, he isn't really asking for favorable treatment when it comes to takes. The Warriors forward just wants the analyst to be fair. However, it may be too late given how he views Smith's colleagues who have done the same to him.

“Listen, I know you got a job to do but not at one point did I hear y'all say, “Y'all are saying this person is f***ed up and this person needs help. Now, I know the person. Say what you want about the basketball player, that's fine. But, I know the person.' To sit back and see those who claim to know and appreciate me as a human being just flowed with the narrative because it was easy to do. I lost a lot of respect for a lot of people,” he concluded.

To add context, Green was suspended twice last season. He first put Rudy Gobert into a headlock which disallowed him to play five games. The Warriors would then see him swing on Jusuf Nurkic later in the same 82-game campaign. This altercation against the Phoenix Suns center got him an eternal beef and a suspension that spanned 12 games. All of which may have also negatively affected the Warriors' hopes of winning more games to secure a spot in the NBA Playoffs.