National Basketball Association

Draymond Green refuses to change his behavior despite mounting technical fouls

Published Dec. 28, 2016 4:27 p.m. ET

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Andrew Lynch

Draymond Green knows he's walking a tightrope when it comes to his on-court interactions with officials and opponents alike, but the Golden State Warriors forward apparently couldn't care less.

Green earned his seventh technical foul of the season during the Warriors' Christmas Day loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, putting him on pace to surpass his 2015-16 technical total by March and opening the door for a potential suspension down the line. At practice this week, however, Green stood his ground, saying he has no plans to change his approach in any way, shape or form.

Via ESPN.com:

"I don't know what else I can watch," Green told reporters Tuesday. "I don't really talk to them [referees] much anymore. So no. I don't know what else to watch at this point. Just continue to be me. If I get the tech, so be it. Continue to be me." [...]

"Change my approach from what?" Green said. "I don't know what other approach to take than walking toward the bench. Like, there's no other approach to take than that. I'm going to continue to be the only person I know how to be. And that's me. There's a lot of guys who get home at night and they're exhausted from acting all day.

"I only know how to be Draymond. That's who I've been my entire life, that's who I'll continue to be. I won't be exhausted from acting when I get home. That ain't going to work for me. I won't change my approach for anything. There's no point."

 

Green finished last regular season with 13 technical fouls, three shy of the 16 necessary to trigger an automatic one-game suspension. Those 13 techs were good for third in the NBA behind the Sacramento Kings' DeMarcus Cousins (17) and the Boston Celtics' Isaiah Thomas (14).

This year, Green is tied for fourth with DeAndre Jordan with those aforementioned seven technical fouls. He trails Cousins (9), Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (8) and Washington's John Wall (8).

Green was suspended for Game 5 of last year's NBA Finals due to an accumulation of flagrant fouls over the course of the postseason. The often-emotional heart of the Warriors has earned a reputation for flailing his legs when fouled on drives, an unnatural motion that often results in Green kicking an opposing player.

As Green tells it, though, that's just Draymond being Draymond. Don't expect him to change any time soon.

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