Draymond Green issued a stern response to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson's critique of him in the most respectful way he could.
After the former 12-time NBA All-Star grilled Green for calling the league "boring" during All-Star Weekend, the veteran Warriors forward responded to Robertson on the latest episode of his podcast, "The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis."
"I thought those comments were very interesting," Green told co-host Baron Davis. "The 'Big O' is 86 years old, so if you think I'm going to come on here and disrespect because there was disrespect thrown, that ain't how I roll. I'm never going to disrespect one of the pioneers of the game because he shared a bad opinion.
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"When speaking of the Big O, though ... We want to enjoy our last years we got with our pioneers, the time we do have left with them, we're going to enjoy that. I'm going to enjoy these last years."
"Who cares what Draymond says" 😂😂
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 17, 2025
NBA legend and HOF'er Oscar Robertson in response to Draymond Green’s comments about the NBA being boring.@TermineRadio | @TheFrankIsola pic.twitter.com/OG5qhlIqY5
In his criticism of Green, Robertson said the Warriors forward might find today's NBA "boring" because of how frequently he passes the ball to sharpshooting teammate Steph Curry.
Green doesn't understand that criticism one bit, and pointed out what he believes to be the irony in Robertson's comments.
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"When we start talking about knowing the game and how you think the game, I'm not sure what idiot wouldn't want to pass Steph Curry the ball when he's the greatest shooter of all time," Green added. "I don't really take that personal. Certain games I'm going to look for him even more than you're accustomed to me looking for him, because why wouldn't I?
"... For a guy who averaged 11 assists [per game], you were also passing the ball. You cannot quite average 11 assists and not pass the ball. In the year that Big O won a championship when he was starting to age, you were passing the ball to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar himself. Not quite sure where the dig comes from."
Green also revealed that he saw and spoke with Robertson before the Kia Skills Challenge during All-Star Saturday Night at Chase Center and received plenty of praise from his soon-to-be detractor.
"During the skills challenge that I blew, I saw him on the sidelines," Green shared. "I got up out of my seat, I said 'hello,' and he's like, 'Man, you're still out there doing it. Keep on going, love watching you play, man. I just love watching you play, you keep going.' So to hear him say that and then the next morning he completely flipped and go opposite, I was a little surprised by that, I must say. Because it wasn't quite that same energy when I saw him."
Maybe, as Green speculates, Robertson just doesn't tune in to many Warriors games.
"Quite honestly, at 86, I'm pretty sure Big O ain't watching many of our games. Big O [is] sound asleep by the time we play at night," Green told a giggling Davis. "He sound asleep. There's zero percent chance Big O is up watching the Dubs."
Fair point.