In the modern-day NBA, the game has seen iconic players who ooze style and chutzpah. LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nikola Jokic are some of the iconic names that you’ll find on this list. But basketball needs its villains just as much as it needs its heroes, and in 2026, there’s no bigger menace than Draymond Green.

The 36-year-old was in the news last week after a controversial altercation with Houston Rockets player Jabari Smith Jr. Green was hit with a screen from Smith Jr. while guarding Kevin Durant. But while on the floor, he reacted by lashing out and grabbing Jabari’s ankle, despite winning the foul.

“Let me explain to y’all what happened,” Green began to explain his point of view on his show earlier today. “What happened is, I’m guarding KD, I’m top-blocking KD, which means KD is trying to come off a pindown (and) I have my back completely to the guy who’s setting the screen, forcing KD down the floor, another tactic in not allowing him to catch the ball. KD catches the ball (shakes head), good luck.”

He continued, “So Jabari took the foul and stood there like ‘Hell yeah, get more physical with these dudes, yeah, I pushed him down’. Well, me being who I am, I don’t think anyone should let that happen, but I’m definitely not letting that happen. The only thing that I can do in that moment is what I did.”

The GSW vet was hit with a technical after refs reviewed the footage. What made matters worse was that Smith Jr. had just returned after missing two games due to an ankle injury. The internet reacted quickly, and fans did not hold back in criticizing Green’s sinister tactics.

The evidence was as clear as day, yet Green insists he does not regret what he did. In fact, he asserts that his actions ultimately got the Dubs a win against the Rockets.

“You know, the one thing that I think people don’t understand about this game is you can’t give people an edge…you give somebody an edge, you lose, and I wasn’t going to give him an edge, and we won, right? In a situation where Jabari was struggling mightily, you’re not going to find your edge on that play, and I’m not going to be the guy that you foul, and you stand over me and talk and walk over me, that ain’t gonna work, so that’s what happened on that play,” Green concluded.

Draymond Green – The Dirtiest Player in the League? Here’s the Stats

As mentioned earlier, Draymond Green is not the most aesthetically pleasing player in the league by a long shot. Yes, he does have four championship rings, and he deserves credit for them. But there’s no denying that he makes controversial plays week in and week out, every season for the last decade or so.

Green leads the league in notoriety for fouls and techs this season, averaging 2.9 personal fouls per game (156 total in 53 GP) while racking up 12 technical fouls (third in the NBA) and three flagrant fouls. His PF rate ranks top-five in the league this campaign, and he has two ejections and four DQs.

Green was in trouble in January, too, when he elbowed Dallas Mavericks’ Dwight Powell in the chest on a screen and was handed a flagrant. He taunted refs following the incident, saying, “What are you gonna do about it?”

He was hit with two quick double techs while playing the Utah Jazz that same month. His career fines for aggressive behavior and untolerable actions while playing have already surpassed $1 million. Green aspires to become an NBA commissioner in the future; it will not hurt his chances if he cleans up his act before he submits his application to league executives.