Atlanta Hawks star Dejounte Murray has never been one to bite his tongue.
Whether he is calling out San Antonio Spurs fans for mistreating him, beefing with Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero or feuding with rapper NBA YoungBoy, Murray doesn’t shy away from conflict.
In that respect, the comments he made this week about Spurs legend Tony Parker shouldn’t have been surprising.
That said – they did still raise some eyebrows.
In a conversation with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on "All The Smoke," Murray opened up about his dynamic with Parker.
“Obviously, I started growing,” he said.
“First year go by, thrown in the fire in the playoffs versus the Rockets. Second year, they see I come back, obviously getting stronger, getting better, and that was the year I took the job from Tony.
“Pop brought us in the office, he told Tony. Tony ain’t like it. I know he ain’t like it, you get what I’m saying? Like for me, I love real. Keep it a buck with me, keep it a hundred, bro. I’ma love you for that, you know what I mean?
“And I know he didn’t like it, cause if he liked it he would’ve mentored me the way he should have. He wouldn’t have went to Charlotte. He would’ve stayed right there.”
The summer after Murray took Parker’s job, the French star inked a two-year, $10 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets. One summer later, he retired.
Obviously Murray still feels some type of way about all that.
One can argue with whether Parker should have handled his demotion better or not. That said, the fact that Murray can’t empathize with plight of an aging legend is telling.
One day he’ll get it, but clearly Murray isn’t there yet.
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