National Basketball Association

Draymond Green does not care if you think the Warriors are villains

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:53 p.m. ET

Rob Perez

Being the best team in the NBA (on paper, at least) has its advantages and disadvantages. When you're stacked to the brim with basketball superstars and are the overwhelming favorites to win the championship, it isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, like many other things in the world today, success attracts negativity.

While most of the Warriors starters draw their own unique type of attention -- Draymond Green, with his controversial play and off-the-court antics the past two seasons, has been the lightning rod for antagonism.

On Sunday, Green put his cards on the table in an interview with ESPN.com's Chris Hayes -- saying "nobody [on the team] cares" about the title of "villains" that many NBA fans have designated to the one-time darlings of the Association:

"I think it's all how you look at it,” he said following practice Sunday. “Some people say we're villains. I don't think we're really going into it saying we're villains, we need to do this. Who cares? It's like, it really doesn't matter what people try to make you play. It's about getting on the court, getting between these lines and performing.

“End of the day what everybody else draws up, make you out to be, they can make you out to be whatever you want. If we're winning games or not winning games, that's what matters. So, I don't think this team is looking saying, 'Hey, villains, let's do it.' Nobody cares.”

Furthermore:

“Usually, when you’re doing something the right way, people hate. ... Usually, when you’re doing something someone else wants to do, they hate. Usually, when there’s success, with success comes hate. That kind of just comes with the territory. It really doesn’t matter. KD being here definitely adds to that [villain narrative], but with the success we’ve had, people are going to hate us anyway. Like I said, it comes with the territory.”

The Warriors may not care about the "villain" narrative this season, but they are more than willing to embrace it if it helps them win a championship.