Draymond Green: ‘Basketball used to be a poor man’s game… Now it’s a rich kid game’

The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis: “Basketball used to be a poor man’s game… now it’s a rich kid game… There’s no imagination. Everybody’s doing the same thing. And I think a lot of that is due sometimes to having trainers.” @Money23Green reflects on what LeBron said about youth trainers vs. real hoopers — and how the game’s roots are fading. -via Twitter / June 10, 2025

Warriors forward Draymond Green broke down Oklahoma City’s win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show With Baron Davis,” and explained why veteran guard Alex Caruso, not young center Chet Holmgren, is the Thunder’s third-most-important player behind his undisputed No. 1 and No. 2 options Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. “When I look at this OKC team, I actually think the third-most-important player is Alex Caruso …. I think Caruso is so important to what they do and I feel like you never game plan for him,” Green said. “So because you don’t game plan for him, he comes into these Finals and he goes crazy. But the reality is, he’s a champion, so he actually knows what to expect.” -via NBC Sports Bay Area / June 9, 2025

“If I’m an opposing coach, I’m saying ‘Caruso’s been in this moment, he’s shown us over and over again he can deliver in this moment, I’m going to make him so important to our game plan,” Green explained. “I’m going to make less of an importance in our game plan to the guy who hasn’t done it’ … “Place that bet on the guy that hasn’t done it, and Chet hasn’t done it. I know Caruso can beat me, he’s shown he can beat me at several different points. Back then when he won a championship he showed you he can beat you. So I’m just not sure that would be the bet that I would be making.” -via NBC Sports Bay Area / June 9, 2025