Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green hugs New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown. D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Mike Brown hugging Draymond Green 'did not land well' with Knicks players

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated Jan 20, 2026 8:02 PM ET

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown’s friendly hug with Draymond Green reportedly did not sit well with some of his players.

Green embraced Brown following the Knicks’ 126-113 loss to the Golden State Warriors last week at Chase Center in San Francisco, California.

According to ESPN’s Ramon Shelburne, the gesture “did not land well” with some members of the Knicks’ locker room and organization.

Green drew the ire of Knicks players during the game after he committed a dangerous foul on Karl-Anthony Towns.

People within the Knicks aren’t happy that Mike Brown hugged Draymond Green after a game in which Draymond committed a flagrant foul on Karl-Anthony Towns, per @ramonashelburne

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 )

pic.twitter.com/2GeXrdiyPU
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 20, 2026

The Warriors star was hit with a flagrant foul for grabbing Towns by the leg as the latter got past Green on a drive.

Draymond Green gets a Flagrant One for this trip on Karl-Anthony Towns pic.twitter.com/U3INE9mHlC
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 16, 2026

With Green nearly injuring Towns, it’s understandable why some would feel a certain way about Brown treating the controversial Warriors star so warmly.

Brown developed a longstanding relationship with Green during his time as an assistant coach on the Warriors. The veteran coach was on Golden State’s staff from 2016 to 2022, winning three titles alongside the former Defensive Player of the Year.

But given Green’s transgression against Towns and the Knicks’ ongoing free fall, some expected Brown to be less chummy with an opponent — even one he had coached for a long time.

The Knicks have gone 2-9 over their last 11 games, prompting Jalen Brunson to call out his team during a recent players-only meeting.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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