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Draymond Green Drops Retirement Hint While Lauding Victor Wembanyama

Published 03/31/2024, 10:48 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Draymond Green slipped in crucial information about his retirement while lauding Wemby. In tonight’s face-off between Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs, Green came out on top with an all-round performance. The 4x NBA Champ put up a masterclass performance, stopping the 7 ‘5 Victor Wembanyama, and helped the team win their 4th straight. After the game, Green spoke highly of the French baller and also dropped a retirement hint.

During the post-game press conference, a reporter asked Green about Wemby’s performance. While he referred to the rookie as a special talent, at the same time, he opened the door for retirement questions. Green said, “He is a very very very very special talent. I was just telling Trayce and all that, ‘I am happy, had the opportunity to play against him now cause they will have to deal with him a lot later and I won’t be in the league no more.” 

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Draymond Green turned the NBA world’s attention to his side, dropping a season-high 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists. In the absence of Jonathan Kuminga, the Dubs required a second fiddle for the superstar Stephen Curry. Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson had an underwhelming night, struggling to find buckets. The team went into the locker room with an 8-point deficit after the first half.

Curry, who lacked support from the offense heads, had Green. He turned back the clock and fired 11 points in the third quarter. The duo put together 54 points and helped the side keep the winning streak alive. The team closed out the first quarter with great momentum going on, carrying forward to the third quarter. GSW came out on point, taking control of everything, and outscoring the Spurs (37-21) to flip the situation to their side. Right then, Green, Curry, and others ensured their 8-point deficit turned into an 8-point advantage.

Their energy was shattering the ceiling tonight. Everyone was contributing, everyone was active, especially Green. In particular, Green stood out the most when he put his disarray aside and really focused on the third quarter, making all 4 shots he attempted, with 11 points and 2 assists and of course stealing a couple of times too to help the team win the game. Tonight was a brilliant example of what happens when Green and Curry come together to save the Warriors who were going through a crisis just a few days ago. It emphasizes further the importance of having DrayMagic right where he’s needed. But amid all these retirement rumors and hints he’s throwing around, is it possible that the deadly Splash brothers union will separate?

Will Draymond Green retire before Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson?

The season has been really bumpy so far for the Warriors and for Green in particular. With many ejections, a chokehold, an indefinite (although just 12 games) worth of suspension, and a visibly shattered Steph Curry, Green’s journey so far seems tumultuous. But then again, he hit the game-stealing free throw tonight, with just roughly 3 seconds left on the clock, and finished the game 117-113 in favor of the Warriors.

It just goes further to prove he is an enormous part of the Curry, Thompson, and Green trio. Despite being the last one to join the team in the 2012-13 season, the 34 YO got the right amount of guidance, support, and love from Steve Kerr (the following year) and the other two pillars of the current Warriors dynastly. Now in his mid-thirties, just like the other two, Green is probably haunted with thoughts of hanging his boots up soon. Of course, retirement questions are going to pop up, every now and then, but them coming from Green like today’s post-game pressers comes as a shocker for fans, who always knew this day would come but hearing the words out loud, it occurs to them – probably the dynasty and the trio is going to end soon.

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Green did consider retirement earlier this year when he faced indefinite suspension, but later, the NBA commissioner talked him out of it, saying he probably has a lot more to do. Post his conversation, this is what Green said to a few media outlets, “We had a long, great conversation. Very helpful to me. Very thankful to play in a league with a commissioner like Adam who’s more about helping you than hurting you, helping you than punishing you. He’s more about the players.”

Back then, Green knew he had let the team down. “It’s very urgent because I’ve cost this team enough”. He came back, stronger than ever, he was no longer a Hulk, he was a much calmer Bruce Banner. But it is highly unlikely he can retire before Curry and Klay. He is on the first season of his new $100 mn contract this season. Plus, he knows the team needs him, and he is the one capable enough to provide them what they need, defensively, tactically, and offensively too. So, even though “retirement” might be on his mind right now, it would only be there because he knows he is aging, but then so is Curry and so is Thompson. But then again, if he faces another spell of tumultuous times like he faced after hitting Jusuc Nurkic, he could further go into a spiral of thinking negatively.

And considering the way Thompson is performing this season, it could either be him or Green who would go out first. No matter who is it, it will still leave Curry heartbroken. Curry will be walking on shaky ground because a “pillar” that supports him will be gone.

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What’s your take on this? Who do you think is going to retire first? Green, Thompson, or Curry?

Draymond Green Almost Looks Psychotic With Every Apology, Claims Stephen Curry’s Distant Relative

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is a Senior NBA Writer at EssentiallySports. Armed with a Master's Degree in journalism from a distinguished institute, his journey into sports writing began during his college days, and since then, Shahul has been captivated not only by the remarkable consistency of Stephen Curry but also by the enduring legacy of LeBron James. He specializes in covering the live basketball action.
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Edited by:

Saumya Khanduja