Draymond Green had a heated on-court moment with teammate Buddy Hield during the Warriors’ victory over the Suns on Saturday night, and he has provided an explanation for his actions.
Green expressed his frustration with Hield following a turnover by the Warriors, and the broadcast microphone captured him clearly saying to Buddy, “Wake the f–k up. Or go sit the f–k down. S–t.”
After the game, Green clarified that he was trying to act as a leader for Buddy as they play together.
“As a leader, you have to try different approaches. Sometimes you have to communicate calmly with a player, and other times you have to be more forceful,” Green told reporters. “I have been playing with Buddy for 30 games now, and I am learning how to best motivate him. Each player responds differently to leadership, so it is important to understand what works for each individual.”
Green continued by explaining that such moments happen frequently, and Hield does not take it personally.
“…You can’t be the type of player who can’t handle criticism, and I am not that type of player. If a teammate yells at me, I may respond in kind. In this instance, Buddy responded to me, and we moved on from it. It’s all part of the game,” Green emphasized.
The four-time champion further emphasized how his experience can benefit players like Hield.
“I have played a lot of high-stakes basketball games and won championships, while Buddy has not had as much experience in that regard. It is our responsibility to help him understand what it takes to succeed at this level,” Green stated.
“If people don’t like it, that’s their problem. It’s part of the reason why they don’t have multiple championships like I do,” Green concluded.
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