San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is a dirty player who probably deserves a suspension, according to famed NBA villain Draymond Green, who kindly gave himself a pass.
‘Draymond will f*** you up, but I’m not dirty,’ the oft-suspended Golden State Warriors power forward said on his eponymous podcast. ‘It’s a completely different thing. Victor Wembanyama is a European player, they are a bit dirty.’
NBA officials have been accused of protecting the Spurs center during the ongoing Finals against the New York Knicks ever since Wembanyama’s Game 1 hack on Jalen Brunson. Although referees didn’t elevate the foul to a flagrant, that moment proved to be a turning point in the series opener, which New York won, 107-106.
Wembanyama has continued to face accusations of dirty play, which Green unironically agreed with.
But Green also urged the NBA to show some leniency rather than suspend Wembanyama during the Finals as they did with him in 2016.
‘Listen, I’m not one that wants to see series decided by suspensions,’ said Green, who missed Golden State’s Game 5 loss to Cleveland a decade ago for accumulating too many flagrant fouls. ‘That’s not good for anyone. It leaves a lot of questions, a lot of what-ifs. I don’t enjoy that.
Victor Wembanyama battles for rebounding position with Karl-Anthony Towns in Game 3
Victor Wembanyama threw Jalen Brunson to the ground off the ball at Madison Square Garden
Draymond Green (right) is seen with Knicks great Patrick Ewing before Game 3
‘I will say he’s been shown a lot of grace,’ Green continued. ‘He probably should be suspended at some point or have been already. He’s been shown a lot of grace, but I agree with the grace.
‘We want to see Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs vs. the New York Knicks. Not the San Antonio Spurs sans Victor Wembanyama vs. the New York Knicks. So I agree.’
Green argued that the NBA should admit that Wembanyama deserves a suspension, while acknowledging that it isn’t in the league’s interest to issue such a punishment during the Finals.
To be fair, Wembanyama was ejected from Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals in early May when he elbowed Minnesota Timberwolves star Naz Reid in the jaw.
The pair had been tussling for the ball when Wembanyama lost his temper and lashed out. His team went on to lose the game 114-109.
Green is seen kneeing Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams in the groin in 2016
Of course, Green knows a thing or two about suspensions.
In addition to his 25 ejections, he’s been banned six times over a variety of dirty plays, including one instance when he held an opponent in a choke hold.
He has also faced accusations that he intentionally kicked or kneed opponents in the groin.
In 2022, hidden camera footage showed Green punching then-teammate Jordan Poole during a Warriors practice. He was assessed a fine but was never suspended.
