Victor Wembanyama’s elbow to Naz Reid’s throat in Game 4 of the playoff series threw him out of the game. Who would’ve thought that the 22-year-old French could pull off such a move? But then, the league is being gentle on him. No suspension for the fresh DPOY. And that decision doesn’t sit right with another DPOY, Draymond Green. It’s never a dull day in the NBA.

Now, the Golden State Warriors veteran took to his X handle to call out the blatant hypocrisy. He wrote, “Y’all have called for my career for less.” Simply put, the media and fans have often demanded harsh punishment, suspension, or even the end of his NBA career over incidents they considered “smaller” or “less serious” than the current one.

Let’s rewind. During the Warriors’ play-in game against the Phoenix Suns earlier in April, the 36-year-old faced an ejection for seemingly punching Devin Booker in his core. Green later denied claims of a punch on his podcast. He said that Booker told referee Scott Foster that Draymond punched him, “which is a lie…a punch is with a closed fist.” In that incident, fans torched the Warriors star, calling him names on social media. “Draymond’s expiration date is about here,” one of them said.

In another incident, again, with the Suns in December 2025, Draymond Green shoved Collin Gillespie. Green made the movie while both stars were jogging back to opposite ends of the court. The game officials quickly whistled for a foul, but Draymond didn’t like it and got into an argument with the referee. And that led to his second tech of the night and an automatic ejection. After the incidents, fans again wrote, “Get him outta there.”

These are just two of the many such odd moments that Green has given the NBA world to talk about. While some might not be too harsh for an ejection or suspension, the seasoned forward has somehow faced such punishments. The Warriors star has faced 25 ejections across 14 seasons in the league. And he has been suspended 6 times in his career.

But the NBA won’t do the same with Victor Wembanyama. Why?

Wemby isn’t a “dirty player” like Draymond Green or Dennis Rodman

NBA analyst Colin Cowherd has an explanation for why the NBA is being considerate towards Victor Wembanyama. “If it was Bill Laimbeer, Metta World Peace, maybe Dennis Rodman, or Draymond Green, I’d suspend him for multiple games in the series. But it’s Wemby… he’s not a dirty player,” he said.

For players like Bill Laimbeer, reputation always entered the room before they did. One reckless hit, and fans instantly assumed intent because years of bruising screens, elbows, and chaos had already built the verdict. Then Metta World Peace, formerly Ron Artest, whose résumé carried everything from the infamous Malice at the Palace to that brutal elbow on James Harden in 2012 after a dunk celebration. Consequently, every borderline collision felt less accidental and more inevitable.

Meanwhile, Dennis Rodman mastered basketball’s dark arts with the precision of a chess player and the energy of a rock star. He rebounded everything, irritated everyone, and constantly flirted with technicals, scuffles, and flagrants. Therefore, referees and league officials rarely handed him the benefit of the doubt. Once a player earns that kind of reputation, every hard foul starts carrying extra baggage, extra suspicion, and far louder reactions.

But Victor Wembanyama isn’t like them (yet). So, the league will likely hand him a fine of $2000 and warn him. However, with the San Antonio Spurs series with the Timberwolves tied at 2-2 after Game 4, the stakes are high. And if the NBA decides to change its mind and suspend Wemby for Game 5, then the story will shift. Meanwhile, Draymond Green’s direct attack on hypocrisy is worth taking note of.