Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has been through the ringer with his longtime teammate Draymond Green. No stranger to controversy, Green certainly has his haters, but Curry still has his back after all these year.
Curry recently appeared on the Dubs Talk podcast and spoke about his relationship with Green after the pair have seen all the ups and downs of well over a decade together as teammates.
Warriors star Stephen Curry refuses to throw Draymond Green under the bus
"People want to criticize and jump in and he's obviously taken, you know, a lot of responsibility for things that have happened over the years, but when it comes to like, seeing somebody for who they truly are and what they bring to the table, like, there's no better example of, you know, friendship and a teammate relationship that can stand the test of time because there's just trust. At the end of the day, I know he's going to show up with the right mentality and do it his way," Curry said.
It's nice to see Curry stand up for Green in this way. Obviously, he is not going to throw Green under the bus while the two are still teammates, but there seems to be genuine love and respect even after the two have been together for so long.
It's easy to call Green out for the times he has been out of line over the years and there are no shortage of incidents one could point to to make the case that Green has crossed the line. Whether it is hitting Jordan Poole or hard fouls he's committed on the floor, Green has his fair share of enemies.
But Curry's response shows that he knows Green is fiery, and that while it can obviously rub people the wrong way, he knows that when the veteran forward can control himself and take things right up to the line without crossing it, he becomes a huge asset for the Warriors beyond what he contributes as a player.
The fact that Green can annoy opponents, get in their heads, and even intimidate the other team or force them to make stupid fouls or mental mistakes is an underrated part of his game. Green is not looking to make friends out on the court and every team really needs that kind of guy who is not afraid to go out there and play hard with no care towards the repercussions.
He also bring so much with his play. Even at the age of 35, Green is a fantastic defender and takes tremendous pride in his ability to defend opposing stars. If the team's defense is not up to standard, he's going to be the first one to call the team out and hold people accountable. Plus, he will hold himself accountable if he is not playing up to his own expectations.
It would be one thing if Green only pointed his finger at others whenever things went wrong, but the fact he is willing to point it at himself is the mark of a true leader.
Curry and Green have been through everything together so they really are almost like brothers at this point. They have experienced the highest highs of winning championships together and the lowest lows as well. It seems like even after their playing days are done, they will still have that special bond and friendship that can only come with being in the trenches together for so long.
Right now the Warriors are without Curry as he deals with an injury, but the fact that he will always have Green's back speaks to the closeness of their relationship and how they comprise the heart of the team even though they couldn't be more different from a temperamental standpoint.