NBA

These Are The Dirtiest Plays Of Draymond Green’s Notorious Career

Darren Ryding - May 24, 2024

NBA

These Are The Dirtiest Plays Of Draymond Green’s Notorious Career

Darren Ryding - May 24, 2024

Draymond Green is one of the best power forwards in the NBA. He’s a loyal servant of the Golden State Warriors and has helped them win multiple NBA championships over the years. However, he also emerged as arguably the dirtiest player in the league throughout that time.

Green is confrontational and commits flagrant fouls like they’re going out of style. So today we looked at some of his worst incidents and remember his victims’ reactions. It’s gotten to the point where Green is almost a parody of himself because everybody knows what to expect. Check out the list of his worst infractions below.

32. Bradley Beal Fight

Technically, Beal was the instigator in this case, but Green didn’t shirk away from his involvement. The NBA has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to brawls after the craziness of the historic ‘Malice at the Palace’ brawl in Detroit. Green defended Beal well in a 2017 clash before the latter reacted poorly.

Immediately, a brawl ensued between the two men and things threatened to become nasty. Later, the NBA hit Green with a $25,000 fine while Beal received a $50,000 fine of his own. Green didn’t start this battle, but it is typical of his contentious personality (via Sportskeeda).

NEXT >>

31. Words With Wiseman

This was one of the dumbest incidents of Green’s notorious career because it involved a teammate. He vocally roared at James Wiseman in an abusive manner. However, the official thought that Green was shouting at him so he ejected him from the court.

In fairness, the NBA rescinded his suspension after the Warriors appealed. But he spoke unpleasantly and has a terrible reputation anyway. Nobody would have been that surprised if Green did abuse an official because that’s the type of player he is (via Sporting News).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

30. Griffin Elbow

In 2013, the Warriors met the Clippers in a high-octane clash. Green had a notorious rivalry with L.A.’s Blake Griffin and didn’t hold back. Things threatened to boil over in this ultra-competitive game. But it was Green who brought things to the next level (via SB Nation).

Officials reviewed the final play of the third quarter when Green threw an elbow toward Griffin’s throat. It was a clearly flagrant foul and they ejected him from the game. But they also harshly kicked Griffin too for his verbal reaction. It was yet another typical infraction in Green’s notorious career.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

29. Cowardly

Griffin didn’t appreciate Green’s attack, nor did he think that it was fair to receive a technical foul for his role. Most viewers agreed it was harsh because Green’s action was vicious and dirty. Later, Griffin made his feelings known about his nemesis (via USA Today).

“If you look at it, I didn’t do anything and I got thrown out of the game,” Griffin said. “It all boils down to they fell for it. To me, that’s cowardly. That’s cowardly basketball.” It’s safe to say that opposition fans and players loath Green because of these violent plays.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

28. Broken Face

Mike Conley came into the Grizzlies’ 2015 Game 2 clash against the Warriors with a broken face. He wore a protective mask throughout the match against Green’s men. However, this made him an even bigger target for one of the NBA’s most notorious figures (via FOX Sports).

Conley had possession of the ball when Green lunged forward and appeared to intentionally catch his face. The officials checked the incident but failed to punish the Golden State star. No one doubted that he did it intentionally because it was typical of Green’s notorious behavior.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

27. Conley Reaction

Green received a lot of hate after the Conley incident because it was a low blow. He’s often dismissive of these reactions but this time he defended himself. The polarizing star claimed that he had never deliberately hurt anybody in his career.

“I’m a big fan of the NBA,” Green told the Mercury News. “Conley is a guy who came into the league and wasn’t expected to be what he’s grown into. Obviously, he’s a hard worker and I respect hard workers. I would never intentionally try to hurt a guy. And I let him know that.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

26. Low Kick

Here’s another incident where Green committed a horrible action. The Warriors played the Pelicans in 2016 when he faced off with Steve Adams. He drew a foul from the New Zealander but that’s not all he did. Green made headlines after a below-the-belt kick to Adams’ nether regions.

His foot rose and caught the Kiwi directly between the legs. Officials checked the incident and hit him with a flagrant foul. However, it wasn’t over because the NBA upgraded it the next day and fined him $25,000. Green never learns, but that’s just part of his game (via NBC Sports).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

25. Calm Reaction

Some fans and players think that Green is complete garbage because of his consistent fouls. However, Adams is a calmer figure and didn’t criticize his opponent. He acknowledged that Green intended to foul him but stopped short of condemning the player’s notorious actions (via Fadeaway World).

Adams told the Lowe Post Podcast that he didn’t think that Green aimed for his groin. “Nah, nah, he didn’t. I think he wanted to flail – he intentionally wanted to flail – but I don’t think (he thought), ‘Let me just pinpoint, accurate, shin right into old mate’s crown jewels.’ I don’t think he thought that.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

24. Takedown

Green targeted Adams again in 2016 when the teams met in a following matchup. This time he tangled with his rival underneath the basket. He locked arms with the New Zealander before dragging him to the ground. It was dangerous because there was a genuine risk of shoulder dislocation.

In the end, the officials ruled that the players shared responsibility for the incident. But video footage proved that Green wrapped Adams up and not vice-versa. First, it appeared that Green came off worse but he survived without injury like a cockroach (via The Score).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

23. Flagrant Foul

Green’s notorious actions appeared to catch up with him in 2022 when he caught Brandon Clarke. The Warriors played the Grizzlies when Green appeared to hit Clarke in the face. He also dragged him by the jersey to the floor before slyly trying to help him up.

Let’s be real here, however; Green did much worse throughout his time in the NBA. But referees know what he’s about and they don’t want to tolerate his behavior. He received a Flagrant 2 foul as they ejected him from the game. Green taunted the crowd before he left the court (via New York Post).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

22. Not Shocked

Clarke didn’t hold back after the game. Later, in the press conference, he told the reporters that this was typical of Green’s style. Everybody knows what he’s going to do so it’s not shocking anymore. But it could work against Green because it’s easier to get fouls called on him now.

“He’s been known for flagrant fouls in his career,” Clarke told assembled media (via Sports Illustrated). “I’ve watched them on TV my whole life it feels like. I wasn’t really shocked. I don’t really like to flop or nothing, but he did hit me pretty hard twice when I saw it again.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

21. Throat Shot

Dante Exum received a baptism of fire when he met Draymond Green for the first time. Exum was 19 when the Jazz met the notorious Golden State power forward. Green viciously caught Exum in the throat and forced him off the court. Exum spent the next few minutes vomiting in the locker room.

However, he returned to action and impressed everybody with his tenacity. Jazz coach Quin Snyder told the Herald Sun: “Nineteen and skinny doesn’t mean he’s not tough. I mean that. You’re going to have to knock him around pretty good for him to not come back in the game.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

20. Kicking Habit

If reincarnation exists, it’s safe to be that Green will return as a donkey. That’s because he kicks other players with the regularity of an NFL punter. In 2016, Marquese Chriss became one of his victims. The awkward part was that the pair would eventually become teammates (via NBC Sports).

However, Green doesn’t think about future consequences when he kicks the living daylights out of his foes. Chriss’s pinky swelled up after the game as a result of Green’s brutality. If Green wanted to become a UFC fighter, he’d probably have a few head kick KOs on his record

<< Previous

NEXT >>

19. Frustration

After the game, Chriss made it clear that the injury frustrated him. He said that there was no need for Green to leave his leg in the air as he does. Many people thought that Chriss exaggerated the injury but swelling later showed that it was painful.

“I was frustrated at the time but just move on from it,” Chriss said (via Slam Online). “It happens. It’s easy to avoid. In hindsight, you don’t have to kick your leg up in the air as frequently as it’s happening. It’s just something that needs to be addressed.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

18. The Lick

When a player is constantly on the edge like Green, it stands to reason that they’ll attempt something weird. It’s just a shame that it involved one of his natural rivals, Griffin. One strange moment saw Green attempt to lick Griffin in 2014 (via Sporting News).

It’s not the first time that an elite athlete’s mouth came too close to an opponent. Tyson Fury once famously licked Deontay Wilder. There are also multiple incidents of biting involving soccer star Luis Suarez. Green didn’t make contact but he came close.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

17. Setting the Tone

The Warriors knew that a statement was necessary in Game 2 of the 2022 NBA Finals. They unleashed their power forward and enabled him to use all of his dirty tricks to rattle the Celtics. Green wrestled Al Horford to the floor as he set the tone for the rest of the game (via Washington Post).

He almost stomped on Jaylen Brown’s head as he fell awkwardly. But that wasn’t deliberate because Green doesn’t intentionally try to hurt other players. It didn’t stop him from trying to pull Brown’s shorts down as he stood up. This game was a perfect encapsulation of Green’s notorious career.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

16. No Surprise

Brown reacted after the game and said what he thought about Green’s antics. In short, it didn’t surprise him because it was typical of the power forward’s career. Green called himself the best defensive player in the league but perhaps it’s more accurate to describe him as the most ruthless.

“That’s what Draymond Green does,” Brown said (via ASAP Sports). “He’ll do whatever it takes to win. He’ll pull you, he’ll grab you, he’ll try to muck the game up because that’s what he does for their team. It’s nothing to be surprised about.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

15. Flying Dropkick

This is one of Green’s worst incidents in his notorious career. James Harden experienced the brunt of the controversial star’s vile behavior. The worst part of this from a Warriors’ perspective was that it also cost his team a chance of winning the game (via Business Insider).

He went up against Harden and elbowed him in the head. As the Houston legend collapsed to the floor, Green followed up with an ax kick. Video replays provided damning evidence as Harden didn’t know what happened. This was a full-blown assault.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

14. Not A Foul

Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the previous moment is that Green didn’t even think it was a flagrant foul. He complained more about Harden’s ability to draw fouls than his misdemeanor. That says a lot about the Golden State enforcer, as he seems to be more than willing to write off the risks to his opponents’ health as long as he can stop them from scoring (via Complex).

“I never thought that they would call a flagrant foul,” Green said. “That never even crossed my mind. It wasn’t really much going through my head at all, but I got to try and make these two free throws. Other than that, I really don’t worry too much about what they do.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

13. Respond With Fire

In 2016, the Celtics inflicted a shock home defeat on the Warriors. Golden State turned San Francisco into a fortress but Boston managed to stun them. One of the most eye-catching moments saw Green bodycheck Marcus Smart as he stood up from the hardwood (via Hoops Hype).

Smart reacted bullishly before playing Green again on the East Coast. He said: “I mean, you respond to fire with fire, right? We’ve just got to turn around and do the same thing. If he’s going to come in here and try to be physical, this is our house and we’ve got to protect it.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

12. Eye Gouging Lebron James

In 2018, the Warriors played the Lakers in the NBA Play-In Tournament. LeBron James lived up to his reputation as the best and most famous player in the sport. He scored the game-winning points to seal victory for his team and a place in the playoffs (via Sporting News).

But he experienced adversity at the hands of Green. That’s because the Warriors forward savagely eye gouged him during the game. It appeared innocuous but given Green’s notorious career it’s clear that he knew what he was doing. Luckily, James didn’t suffer any long-term damage from Green’s latest attempt to put his opponent’s health in jeopardy.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

11. Moment Of Fear

James said that he experienced real fear after the eye poke. It affected his vision and made him see triple. It’s worth remembering that this isn’t the only time that Green gouged an opponent in his notorious career. That makes this incident even worse.

The NBA icon reacted to the assault in the postgame interview. “After Draymond’s finger to the eye, I was literally seeing three rims out there, so, I just shot at the middle one,” James said (via Clutchpoints). “And I was able to – by the grace of the man above – I was able to knock it down.” James thanked his Higher Power for his ability to sink the game-winning shot despite his challenge seeing, but it all could have been avoided if Green wasn’t so ready to put his opponents at serious risk on multiple occasions.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

10. James Harden Eye Gouge

As mentioned in the previous incident, Green has a long and nasty history of gouging opponents in the eyes. He poked James Harden in the eyes not once but twice in the second round of the 2019 NBA playoffs. This left the Rockets star with contusions and swelling after Green inflicted genuine pain.

Harden also suffered a lacerated eyelid from one of Green’s fingernails. This could have been much worse if Green’s nail made contact with the eyeball. Harden could have experienced a detached retina or something even more serious (via NBC Sports). This was yet another incident when Green put his opponents’ long-term health at risk with his violent play, and it’s clearly a pattern when he plays some of the biggest stars in the NBA.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

9. Yet Another Eye Poke

You can probably notice we could have made a list from Green’s eye pokes alone by now. Here’s another one from 2022 when he jabbed Nikola Jokic in the eye. His index finger went deep into the Serbian’s eye socket as he jumped into the air. It was clearly dangerous because of the risk to the reigning MVP’s vision.

Fans reacted online in a predictable manner. They called out Green for his dangerous play and said that there was nothing more dangerous in basketball than one of his fingers. His notorious career has seen many of these incidents, and he shows no signs of changing his ways (via Yardbreaker).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

8. Kyrie Assault

We’re not saying that a kick to the head might help reset Kyrie Irving’s brain. But that could be what was going through Green’s mind when they met in 2016. First, Irving took a handful of Green’s jersey. But this was like waving a red flag in front of a bull, as Green was ready to enact revenge from that moment on.

Green simultaneously flopped to the hardwood while lashing out with his foot. He caught Irving in the chest while narrowly avoiding his head. This was fantastic even by Green’s dastardly standards because he lashed out in multiple violent ways (via Clutchpoints).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

7. Kicking Controversy

In 2017, Green attempted to kick another opponent from the ground. This time his would-be victim was his old nemesis, Blake Griffin. Perhaps Griffin insulted Green’s mother or something equally nefarious because he received a lot of maltreatment from the Warriors star.

Green was on the floor when Griffin attempted to compete for the ball. Instantly, Green lashed out with his foot as he tried to connect with the Memphis player. Luckily, he didn’t make contact nor did he aim for Griffin’s groin this time (via Fansided).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

6. Not Smart

Golden State’s most violent player made headlines again after Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Finals. He had a terrible game as he picked up six fouls including one where he bulldozed Marcus Smart to the ground. Meanwhile, the notoriously hostile Boston fans made their feelings about him known with foul chants.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr and teammate Klay Thompson criticized the Celtics’ fans because they didn’t think of the children in attendance when they effused profanity-laced tirades against Green and Golden State. But Green’s notorious career is arguably a much worse example for them to follow than any poor, cuss-word-laden boors from the fans. He flamed out and admitted that he performed like garbage (via CBS News).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

5. The Beasley Slam

In April 2016, the Warriors played Houston in the third game of their series. Green committed another flagrant foul when he tackled Michael Beasley to the ground. It was a moment born of frustration as Green fumbled the ball before he wrestled the Rockets’ forward.

This was the Warriors’ final possession ahead of their one-point loss against Houston. It’s not the worst foul of Green’s career but it shows what type of player he is. If things don’t go his way, he turns basketball into a WrestleMania tribute (via Bleacher Report). This was just another example of this in Green’s long history of tangling up his opponents and possibly hurting them.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

4. Draymond Jiu-Jitsu

The Rockets also met Golden State in the 2015 Conference Finals. Green seemingly has a vendetta against the franchise due to his notorious incidents involving James Harden and Michael Beasley. But this time he had a run-in with Trevor Ariza as the pair became embroiled in a wrestling match.

First, Ariza lost his balance and fell on top of Green as they competed for the ball. It was innocuous until Green tangled with Ariza and prevented his opponent from getting back to his feet. Suddenly, the pair appeared to be competing in a Brazilian jiu-jitsu match instead of playing basketball (via USA Today Sports).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

3. Clotheslining Lebron James

Green earned himself another flagrant foul after he clotheslined LeBron James mid-court in 2017. Golden State played the Cavs and Green felt like leaving a mark on the game. He also wanted to leave a physical imprint of his body on King James (via Bleacher Report).

We’ve spoken already about how Green poked James in the eye before. He also kicked him in the groin on one occasion. The greatest basketball player of the 2010s knows all about Green’s malicious behavior. He’s felt the full force of the forward’s dark arts on multiple occasions. Despite his injuries, he’s lived to tell the tale so far.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

2. Costly Kick

There’s no denying that Green has had a hugely successful career with the Warriors. Arguably, every team needs that type of player who’s willing to get down and dirty. But his penchant for chaos and attacking his opponents has cost Golden State dearly on occasion. One such moment was his attempted kick on LeBron James in the 2016 NBA Finals.

The forward lashed out from the ground with his foot and attempted to make kick James in the groin. He missed thankfully but got himself suspended for the next game. This was a crucial reason why the Cavaliers turned a 3-1 deficit around as Green cost himself another ring, but his play has helped the Warriors to multiple titles as a result as well (via Sportskeeda).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

1. Dislocated Thumb

Fans may have given Green the benefit of the doubt if he were anybody else but himself. But the fact is that he’s one of the dirtiest players in the history of basketball. In 2018, he dislocated Jonas Valanciunas’s left thumb as he jostled for the ball. This left the Lithuanian player screaming in agony.

It’s one of the worst incidents of Green’s notorious career because he hurt a fellow opposing player badly. It didn’t help that he had a history of hand injuries and was having a good season. Green brought that to an end and earned a lot of resentment in the process (via Bardown). Overall, Green hurt a ton of players as you’ve read on this list, but this may have been the worst injury he afflicted on an opponent.

<< Previous

These Are The Dirtiest Plays Of Draymond Green’s Notorious Career

These Are The Dirtiest Plays Of Draymond Green’s Notorious Career

32. Bradley Beal Fight

31. Words With Wiseman

30. Griffin Elbow

29. Cowardly

28. Broken Face

27. Conley Reaction

26. Low Kick

25. Calm Reaction

24. Takedown

23. Flagrant Foul

22. Not Shocked

21. Throat Shot

20. Kicking Habit

19. Frustration

18. The Lick

17. Setting the Tone

16. No Surprise

15. Flying Dropkick

14. Not A Foul

13. Respond With Fire

12. Eye Gouging Lebron James

11. Moment Of Fear

10. James Harden Eye Gouge

9. Yet Another Eye Poke

8. Kyrie Assault

7. Kicking Controversy

6. Not Smart

5. The Beasley Slam

4. Draymond Jiu-Jitsu

3. Clotheslining Lebron James

2. Costly Kick

1. Dislocated Thumb

TOP POSTS