Draymond Green on Chris Russo's Comments: ‘Racist Connotation’

The Warriors forward criticized analysts like the “First Take” guest who didn’t play professionally yet feel like they can say what they want about players.

Draymond Green responded to the viral comments made by First Take’s Chris “Mad Dog” Russo this week regarding his actions on and off the court.

The Warriors forward spoke on his podcast The Draymond Green Show to discuss the analyst’s comments.

“Yesterday, he [Russo] goes on TV and he says ‘America is tired of Draymond Green.’ He then proceeds to say ‘shut up and play,’” Green said. “I’m not one to really pull a race card very often because I think we all know the role that race plays in a world that we live in, but that definitely had a racist connotation.”

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Green went on to explain that there are analysts like Russo who didn’t play the game professionally and don’t understand the position the players are in. The four-time All-Star said there’s a “new media” wave of former professional athletes joining talk shows to provide firsthand insight to the topics being discussed. 

He names JJ Redick as an example after the former NBA star argued against Russo’s comments during First Take.

“Those ‘shut up and play,’ ‘shut up and dribble’ days those are long gone,” Green said. “We don’t listen to that anymore, we don’t want to hear it anymore. It has no place here, nor will it be tolerated."

“You will no longer be allowed to sit there and say what you want, you will no longer be allowed to put out these false narratives, you will no longer be allowed to not know what you’re talking about and we’re going to listen to you,” Green continued. “Those days are long gone. You know why? Because we have guys like JJ Redick who’s done it, who speaks it, who knows how to speak on any different topic, who’s not afraid to shut an idiot up.” 

Green has taken to signing his tweets with “THE NEW MEDIA,” including a tweet he sent out after his podcast dropped clarifying that he isn’t trying to “cancel” Russo for what he said.

Also, I don’t believe in cancel culture. This is not a cancel attempt. Just stand on your words. ACCOUNTABILITY

Yours truly,
THE NEW MEDIA

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) May 6, 2022

Russo has yet to publicly respond to Green’s comments.