Peter Okereke
Stephen A. Smith wasn’t having any of Draymond Green’s claim that longtime Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr “hindered” his NBA career.
Green had said on a recent episode of his podcast that “a part of him” believes Kerr, who has coached him for all but the first two years of his professional career, may have limited what he could have become as a player.
“As much as he’s done for me in basketball, a part of me think he’s hindered me in my career and what I could’ve become,” Draymond Green claimed on his podcast.
But Smith swiftly disagreed and proceeded to blast him on making such a statement about Kerr. While making his thoughts known, the popular TV commentator said on ESPN’s First Take:
“He was very respectful to the great Steve Kerr, who’s one of the great, great coaches we’ve ever seen, Kenny. And Draymond Green is a future Hall of Famer, and a former defensive player of the year, an elite defender for the vast majority of his career, who also was a magnificent point forward.
“And 85 percent of his assists obviously have come courtesy of the shooting of Steph Curry, the greatest shooter God ever created. So we understand that.
Stephen A. Smith continued, further saying that Green is trying to deflect blame from himself onto Steve Kerr, for not putting in more work to become even better.
“We also need to understand that Steph Curry would have had a far more difficult time being Steph Curry if it were not for Draymond Green. So I’m not throwing any negativity or shade in his way in that regard. Here’s why I say it’s foul.
“Respectfully to Draymond Green, you are not accepting responsibility for what you didn’t do. We can not count the number of times that defenses have sat aback and dared Draymond Green to shoot open jump shots, and he did not convert. That is not the coach. That is you,” Smith added.
Green is a four-time NBA champion, four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, a nine-time All-Defensive team selection, and won the 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
But with his contract expiring this year, it is unclear if Kerr will return for a 13th season as the Warriors’ head coach. Meanwhile, Draymond Green could become an unrestricted free agent as well if he declines his $27.7 million player option.
