Last night was another episode for Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, whose recent trend of wildly out-of-control moments continued. Entering the game against the Los Angeles Lakers , many already had their minds made up about the Saginaw native: He is a "dirty" player. And Skip Bayless remains one of Green's most outspoken critics.
Draymond Green: dirtiest player ever.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 26, 2024
After a free-throw attempt by Warriors swingman Jonathan Kuminga early in the fourth quarter, Green tried executing a unique tactic to get a blown whistle in his favor. All Richard Jefferson who was announcing the Lakers-Warriors TV broadcast could do was react with hysteria.
"Draymond pulls them both down," the former NBA All-Star said as he let out a chuckle. "Dray that's a foul! They can review that, Dray.
Green locked arms with Lakers guard Dalton Knecht and forward Rui Hachimura and pulled both players down using what many fans call a "WWE-style" takedown. The 34-year-old tried to trigger a loose-ball foul but instead earned his fourth personal foul of the game.
Although the four-time champion entered the game shooting 38 percent from the 3-point line, the third-highest clip of his career, he converted just one of his five attempts. He was able to impact the game in other areas with his 10 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots.
Bayless is dug in on his stance that Green is the "dirtiest" player in NBA history. While last night was another not-so-good look for the star forward, it is just another moment in the compilation of head-scratching Draymond moments.
"In my career I have never seen anything like this phenomenon," Skip said during an episode of his podcast. "Draymond Green is — no exaggeration — the dirtiest player in NBA history by far. … I dare you to go on YouTube [and] call up and watch those lowlight tapes of the cavalcade of Draymond Green's dirtiest plays over the years."
Fans will have various opinions about which player they think deserves this ignominious title. While Green's recent track record — including last season's sucker punch aimed at the head of then Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic already earns him a seat among the league's most vicious players, there is no telling if he'll continue to exacerbate his reputation as he plays out the remaining seasons of his career.
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