Draymond Green's advice to young prospects: Toughen up and stop ‘crying' about fouls

In an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, Draymond Green offered advice to young basketball prospects, encouraging them to toughen up and stop complaining about fouls during games.

Draymond Green has been the NBA’s face of emotion over his 12 Warriors seasons.

The future Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame selection has made his mark in the league, for better or worse, by never backing down from a challenge and by being vocal, physical and aggressive as Golden State’s leader.

So when Green had the spotlight in front of young basketball prospects, the four-time NBA champion had much to say about how they should carry themselves, on and off the court.

“Y’all chasing the game, like all young dudes do,” Green said (h/t Swish Cultures). “Come down, ‘I need to get a 3’ – ain’t nobody Steph Curry. And then, y’all crying about every call. I get a lot of techs, so I’m actually f----d up on that part. But it’s also cost me two-and-a-half million dollars, which is probably more money than probably everybody in here …

“Also, what have y’all done to get calls? I was this close away to not giving y’all one. So why we crying about calls? Quite frankly, I don’t think any of y’all have done anything … By the way, everybody is good in high school. Also, I wasn’t highly ranked. And the players that were ranked above me, where are they? Rankings really don’t mean anything.”

Draymond Green ( @money23green ) dropping knowledge to top prospects at @klutchsports NIL Camp about rankings & thinking the game

“ I WASN'T HIGHLY RANKED & ALL THE PLAYERS THAT WERE RANKED ABOVE ME WHERE ARE THEY ? RANKINGS REALLY DONT MEAN ANYTHING”
pic.twitter.com/YyAkCsrskI

— Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) August 4, 2024

Green didn’t hold back about basketball’s topicality among the youth.

The Michigan State product noted how many young players are trying to shoot like Curry instead of driving to the rim, in addition to how those with top high-school rankings act like they’re above competition and believe they deserve an adequate whistle from referees.

Green, a four-time NBA All-Star, has collected 150 technical fouls, 22 disqualifications, 19 ejections, 15 flagrant fouls and six suspensions in his career; He knows what warrants over-the-line punishment and what should be encouraged in the face of up-and-comers.

So Green left the players with a message they ideally will remember for the rest of their professional careers.

“Play smart,” Green added. “Y’all took six bad threes that game. Why? Quite frankly, I can’t keep up with you [players] going to the rim right now. Read the game, settling for 3s for what? Think the game, man. Stop crying. Everybody crying about a foul, crying about a travel, crying about this.

“And all the ones crying are the ones who ain’t done nothing. Come on, man. Let’s have a good run.”

Green condemned much of what he does on a game-to-game basis. But as he mentioned, penalties are expensive and hurt one’s team and pockets.

So while his message might make some scratch their heads when considering all Green has done to warrant penalties, the young players probably should listen to the NBA great.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast