Draymond Green calls Jusuf Nurkic ‘little guy,’ Kevin Durant ‘cowardly’ on podcast

Draymond Green on his podcast released Tuesday explained his continuing beef with Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic.

And by that, we mean the Golden State Warriors forward dedicated more than eight minutes to talking public smack to the Phoenix center, brought Suns star Kevin Durant squarely into the fold and set up for what could be a combustible matchup if the two teams happen to meet in the postseason (the Suns took the regular season series 3-1).

Green traded “too-small” taunts with Nurkic in a Warriors win Saturday and was verbally directing smack talk to Durant after the game. On his podcast recapping the night, he continually referred to Nurkic as “the little guy” and “clown.”

He also called the two Suns “cowards” for telling reporters at different occasions that they hoped Green received help.

Green previously said Durant’s comment at least played some part in helping him focus on his issues that led to Green getting suspended for earlier this year flapping his arms into Nurkic’s face, leading the NBA to suspend him for a dozen games.

It appears the Golden State forward is back to toeing the line as close as possible.

“Guys are making a habit out of that. Him and Kevin questioning my character before, as if you’re going to question somebody’s character by the basketball game as if it’s not real life,” Green said. “As if that don’t affect people’s pockets. Like, I think all of it was really cowardly if you want my honest opinion.

“If you want to know the truth about that, I think all of it was really cowardly. … I think they all wack, both of them if you want my honest opinion.”

The Suns center apparently consumed some of the podcast. He appeared to respond to Green with a post on X.

“All good bad boy just don’t stay to long on podcast, gonna be late for therapy session 😂,” Nurkic wrote.

All good bad boy just don’t stay to long on podcast, gonna be late for therapy session.😂

— Jusuf Nurkić 🇧🇦 (@bosnianbeast27) February 13, 2024

Green said he didn’t like that Nurkic had further criticized him after the game Saturday.

“Following that game, the little guy goes into media and he says, ‘I take my words back. He doesn’t deserve another chance. It’s only a matter of time before he hits someone else,'” Green explained. “Quite frankly, I would love to know why is it only a matter of time before I hit someone else. Because I destroyed him? Because what in that game that happened with me would make you say something like that other than getting embarrassed because you’re just not good enough.

“Little guy tries to post up, tries to back me down only to shoot a hook shot from the dotted — not the restricted area — from the dotted line in the paint which means you made no progress getting towards the rim. Shoots a nasty hook shot for his sixth point of the game, which is his last points of the game, and decides to do an overtly too-small celebration. Slapping the floor, the whole thing.”

Green said he took issue with Nurkic in a prior game against the Milwaukee Bucks turning his back to allow Giannis Antetokounmpo shoot an open three.

After Nurkic had put Green into the stanchion and celebrated earlier in the game, Green responded by attacking a similar non-closeout by Nurkic that gave him a three-point play. Green retaliated with a celebration at that point.

“Quite frankly, you see clowns like that do things like that,” Green said. “It’s actually very disrespectful to the game. It’s disrespectful to the player you’re doing it to and so the clown then — I catch the ball on the block and the clown decides to kind of turn his body to me. Alright, bring your chest here.”

WARRRIORRRSSSSS pic.twitter.com/4gvKJZ04p6

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 11, 2024

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