Draymond Green isn’t one to mince his words.
Even when it comes to former beloved teammates.
Green is still the standard when it comes to talking trash on (and off) the courtGetty
During the Golden State Warriors media day, the four-time NBA champion was asked how he would guard his former teammate of 12 years, Klay Thompson.
“I’m running through his chest,” Green said with no hesitation. “He’s my brother, but he not with us. He’s with the ops.”
Thompson left in free agency to sign a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, splitting up the Bay Area core that won four NBA championships in eight years.
Thompson, Green and the greatest shooter of all-time, Stephen Curry, formed one of the most dominant dynasties in recent memory, but age, injuries and contracts finally caught up to the once mighty trio.
Thompson will no longer be playing alongside his former Splash Brother and good friend, who is now the opposition.
It’s a weird feeling.
Just ask Andrew Wiggins, who was a driving force for the Warriors during their last championship run in the 2021-2022 season.
“It’s going to be different for sure, on and off the court,” Wiggins said. “Klay is a big presence, and when you think about Golden State, you think about Klay, you think about Steph, you think about Draymond.
“I feel like he’ll always be that guy. We are all going to miss him and we know he’s going to do great things over there.”
During his time with Golden State, Thompson was a five-time All-Star, made the All-NBA Third Team twice, made an All-Defensive Second Team, won the Three-Point Contest and of course, the four rings while forming the greatest shooting backcourt of all time.
Andre Iguodala, Curry, Green and Thompson formed one of the most dominant dynasties in NBA historyGetty
Green doesn’t care about any of that, not when it comes time to lace them up.
In fact, Green is excited and welcomes the opportunity and challenges that await this new-look Warriors squad.
“It’s just going to look a little different now,” Green said. “Where there’s the most uncertainty, that’s usually the biggest opportunity for growth.
“For so long it’s just been the same thing. With it always being the same thing, it makes it even tougher to perform at a high level … because you get tired of doing the same thing over and over and over and over, and you get bored with chasing that greatness.
“I think we did a great job of not getting bored chasing the greatness, [but] now we turn the page.”
The page has been turned and the chapter has officially closed on the greatest era in Golden State Warriors basketball history.
There’s no time to look back, at least not yet, not when Thompson is now a member of the reigning Western Conference champion.
Thompson can make the case that he is the second greatest shooter of all-time, right behind former teammate, Steph Curry(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
They might be brothers, as Green stated, but will now be wearing different jerseys for the first time in their careers.
And Green is going to run through his chest.
And if Thompson ever wants to know how that feels, he can always ask Pau Gasol.
