Draymond Green Responds to Knicks Backlash Over Mike Brown Hug: “That Bond Can’t Be Broken”
After a recent Knicks-Warriors matchup, a seemingly innocent postgame hug between Draymond Green and Knicks head coach Mike Brown sparked more buzz than anyone expected. The embrace, rooted in years of shared success, became the subject of scrutiny, especially given Green’s history of on-court run-ins-most notably with Karl-Anthony Towns. But Draymond wasn’t about to let the noise go unanswered.
On his podcast, Green addressed the growing chatter surrounding both the hug and the physical play that preceded it.
“This is basketball”
Green started by tackling the idea that he delivered a hard foul during the game-one that some speculated ignited frustration within the Knicks organization.
“Number one, this is basketball,” Green said. “You’re gonna get fouled.
Number two, it wasn’t a hard foul. And if it was a hard foul, Karl-Anthony Towns should have gotten up and defended himself.”
Green didn’t mince words. In his view, if Towns didn’t react, that says more about the nature of the foul-or lack thereof-than anything else.
“He didn’t because it wasn’t a hard foul,” Green continued. “Or he didn’t because maybe for other reasons.
Nonetheless, he didn’t.”
And that’s where Green drew the line. No flagrant call, no league discipline, no smoke-at least not from the officials.
The Brown-Green Connection Runs Deep
But the real firestorm came after the final buzzer, when Green shared a hug with Mike Brown. The moment, captured on camera, was interpreted by some as a breach of loyalty, given Brown’s current role as head coach of the Knicks. Green, however, made it clear: this wasn’t just a friendly gesture-it was a reflection of years of trust, mutual respect, and personal history.
“Mike Brown and I won multiple championships together,” Green said. “We collaborated a lot.
That relationship is what it is. It ain’t changing because it’s built.”
And when Draymond says “built,” he means it. This isn’t some surface-level connection forged by circumstance. It’s a bond that goes beyond the court.
“That’s not an inherited relationship,” Green added. “That’s two human beings who took time to build that relationship.
Mike Brown was at my wedding. He was at my wedding when I got married.”
That kind of statement doesn’t just speak to friendship-it speaks to family. Brown, who served as Steve Kerr’s lead assistant for years in Golden State, was a major presence during the Warriors’ dynasty run.
He joined the team after his stint with the Cavaliers and played a key role in shaping the culture that helped Green and company win titles. In 2022, Brown took the head coaching job in Sacramento and, more recently, landed in New York.
But those coaching moves don’t erase the past.
Brotherhood Over Rivalries
Green’s point is simple: relationships in the NBA don’t always follow the scoreboard. The league is full of long-standing bonds that transcend team colors or current job titles. And while fans-and sometimes franchises-can get caught up in the optics of loyalty, players and coaches often see the bigger picture.
As Green put it, “That bond can’t be broken over an alleged hard foul.”
In other words, don’t expect a hug to become a headline-at least not in Draymond’s world. For him, the game is the game, but the relationships? Those are for life.