Draymond Green plots retirement 'transition' with idea of when NBA career will end
CANNES — Draymond Green is anticipating his transition to life after the NBA.
The Warriors star, who helped bring four championships to the Bay Area, shed light on his future in the league Tuesday while discussing sports villains and athlete storytelling at Sport Beach, which is hosted by Stagwell at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
'As I transition in the next two or three years from basketball… I know that's where my life leads me in the next two or three years,' Green, 35, said as he expressed his dedication to telling unbiased stories about the game on his eponymous podcast.
Advertisement
Green didn't elaborate further about the end of his NBA career.
Draymond Green at Cannes Lions on June 17, 2025.
Ella Pellegrini
The four-time NBA All-Star, who's known for his aggressiveness in the paint and unapologetic demeanor on the court, did explain why he enjoys being a sports villain.
'I think in order for there to be a hero, there has to be a villain,' Green said. 'One doesn't work without the other… It's what creates storylines… If everyone's the hero, who do we hate?'
Advertisement
Green, who claimed he's a completely different person when he steps off of the court, said he's motivated by winning and that it's nothing personal when things turn chippy on the hardwood.
'And you may not think so, but I don't always try to be hated,' said Green, whose on-court incident with Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert — when he grabbed him around the neck in a Nov. 14, 2023, game — was brought up by the panel's host.
Advertisement
Draymond Green has a villain reputation on the court.
NBAE via Getty Images
Green served a five-game suspension by the NBA for escalating an on-court altercation.
The incident occurred less than two minutes into the first regular-season meeting between Green's Warriors and Gobert's Timberwolves that season.
Advertisement
Green did not relate the Gobert scuffle to his career trajectory.
The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year has certainly made a name for himself in the media space with his podcast and his broadcast work with 'Inside the NBA' as a guest analyst.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rockets Make Bold Trade Offer for Kevin Durant, but Suns Reject Key Piece
Rockets Make Bold Trade Offer for Kevin Durant, but Suns Reject Key Piece originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Phoenix Suns are currently undergoing drastic changes at almost every level of their organization. Right after the conclusion of the regular season, the Suns fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after a disappointing 36-46 season. Shortly after, they made a rather shocking decision to move James Jones into a senior advisory role and Brian Gregory as the new general manager. Advertisement There were rumors at this past trade deadline that the Suns were actively shopping Durant and that they were close to a deal with the Golden State Warriors, but Durant wasn't intrigued by the reunion and asked the Suns they reconsider. The Suns opted to make one final push for a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament, but Durant suffered a left ankle sprain and those hopes were dashed. Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Rockets make bold Kevin Durant trade offer, Suns reject key piece There has been wide speculation as to which team(s) are possible suitors for Durant. One team that has been thrown around is the Houston Rockets. Of all the teams rumored to be in the mix, the Rockets can likely offer the Suns one of the better, if not the best, packages in exchange for the 15-time All-Star. Advertisement According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix, the Rockets have made a significant offer for Durant, but the Suns rejected a key piece. "The Rockets have offered Jalen Green and Jabari Smith for Kevin Durant but the Suns don't want Jalen Green," said Gambadoro. It could be argued that, of any player throughout the NBA Playoffs, Jalen Green's stock took a hit more than anybody. After averaging 21 points per game in the regular season, he averaged 13.28 per game in the seven-game series against the Golden State Warriors. That number is misleading. Green exploded for 38 points in Game 2, but was held under 15 points in the other six games and scored in the single digits four times. His style of play alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal would be questionable at best. It remains to be seen if the Suns have their eyes on a different player or are eying more draft compensation. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Walter Clayton Jr. Reveals Favorite NBA Player Without Hesitation
Walter Clayton Jr. Reveals Favorite NBA Player Without Hesitation originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Yet for Clayton Jr., the journey didn't start off easy. He was a zero-star recruit coming out of high school and ranked just the No. 69 point guard in his class nationally. But he happened to land in the hands of arguably the greatest coach of all time, Rick Pitino, who offered him a chance at Iona. Advertisement Clayton spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Iona before transferring to Florida after Pitino accepted the head coaching job at St. John's. Now, with the NBA draft just about a week away, Clayton is projected to hear his name called—whether it's in the first or second round. Most mock drafts have him going somewhere between picks 20–30 on day one. Ahead of the draft, Clayton Jr. sat down with the 'NBA Future Starts Now' social media team, where he was asked who his favorite NBA player was. He didn't even have to think twice—his answer came instantly: Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. 'LeBron James,' Clayton Jr. said. 'That's who I grew up watching, man. He's been in the league since I was born.' It's currently very unlikely that Clayton Jr. will get the opportunity to join the Lakers, unless the team makes a move to trade up in the draft. As it stands, Los Angeles only holds the No. 55 pick this year, with their first-round selection belonging to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis trade. Advertisement Still, whichever team ends up landing the Florida star is getting a player who doesn't crack under pressure—at all. It's almost as if he's immune to it, consistently hitting clutch shots throughout the NCAA Tournament and lifting the Gators in key moments. Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) celebrates after winning the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Donnan-Imagn Images Clayton Jr. has averaged 16 or more points in each of the last three seasons. This past year, he posted 18.3 points, 4.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting an impressive 38.6% from beyond the arc. Related: Walter Clayton and Florida Gators Land Unique Job After NCAA Championship This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
30 minutes ago
- USA Today
Pacers trade 2025 NBA Draft pick to Pelicans, reacquire 2026 pick in return
Pacers trade 2025 NBA Draft pick to Pelicans, reacquire 2026 pick in return Show Caption Hide Caption Cedric Coward went from Division III player to NBA draft prospect Washington State wing Cedric Coward chats with Bryan Kalbrosky about efficiency and his unusual path to the pros. It's never too early to think about next season. The Indiana Pacers has announced a trade as the team currently battles the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals. On Tuesday, the Pacers announced the team has reacquired its first-round 2026 NBA Draft pick from the New Orleans Pelicans after trading away their No. 23 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and the rights to guard Mojave King. The Pacers originally gave up its conditional first-round 2026 NBA Draft pick in January 2024 in a deal to acquire forward Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors then shipped the Pacers' 2026 NBA Draft pick to the Pelicans in a package to acquire Brandon Ingram. Now, the pick is back in Indiana. The Pacers will not have a first-round pick in next week's 2025 NBA Draft for the second consecutive year. They aren't shut out of the draft completely and will be on the clock for the No. 54 pick in the second round. King, a New Zealand native that grew up in Australia, was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 47th overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. But King has not played in the league and plays professionally overseas. The Pacers trail the Thunder, three games to two, in the 2025 NBA Finals, which shifts back to Indianapolis for Game 6 on Thursday, June 19. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
