Stephen A. Smith suddenly and heartbreakingly blames Stephen Curry as he nears record unwanted career exit
Draymond Green’s suspension raises questions on Steph Curry’s leadership. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith dives into the debate Read more to know
Once again, controversy surrounds Draymond Green. The Golden State Warriors center continually found himself in trouble due to his unsportsmanlike behavior, grabbing the NBA’s attention.
On Wednesday, the league suspended Green indefinitely after he struck Jusuf Nurkic, center of the Phoenix Suns, in the face.
As a result, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith seemed to question the leadership of Steph Curry.
In a segment on First Take that morning, Smith posed an intriguing question: What would the NBA world’s reaction be if LeBron James were Green’s teammate instead of Curry?
.@stephenasmith speaks on Steph Curry's leadership in Draymond Green's suspension. pic.twitter.com/S5SH5GrdMa
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 14, 2023
“We’d be criticizing LeBron James’ leadership if this were his teammate. Where’s the leadership?” Smith had said.
Smith also argued, “We shouldn’t hold Steph Curry to lesser standards.”
Smith went on to say, “You can lead differently. You don’t have to mimic someone else’s method. I remember seeing Jordan Poole ignore Draymond Green last year.
“Who was behind him, going off the court to the bench? Steph. None of us knew about it; they never mentioned it postgame, but Steph confronted Jordan Poole because Green was disrespected during the game.
“It doesn’t have to be the same, but Steph Curry needs to display his leadership, which he indeed possesses. And Draymond Green, who cares deeply for him and owes much to him, deserves it too.”
Draymond Green: Pursuing NBA Ejection History Amidst Controversy
Draymond Green, the Golden State Warriors forward who had participated in 930 games throughout the 12 years of his NBA career, led all active players with 20 ejections.
FUCK IT DRAYMOND GREEN HIGHLIGHTS 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/pHk1mdhNkN
— OTF Jxyy (@jxyyswrld) December 14, 2023
Born and raised in Michigan, this defensive powerhouse continued to exhibit aggressive behavior despite accruing a history of disciplinary incidents, including a recent Flagrant 2 foul and subsequent ejection.
During a tussle for space with Nurkic, Green, who had seemed off balance, struck Nurkic unexpectedly.
Currently, Green was just nine ejections shy of the record held by Rasheed Wallace, who had been ejected 29 times.
Green’s playing style, characterized by a high number of technical fouls and ejections, had positioned him as a close second on this list.
The question on everyone’s mind—fans and analysts—was whether Green could exceed Wallace’s record and cement his place in NBA history as the player with the highest number of career ejections.
His aggressive and confrontational approach on the court was part of his unique playing style, a trait that, while contributing to his success and accolades, often landed him in disciplinary situations.
