While another historic NBA season is in the books, a few playoff matchups have been etched in everyone’s memory forever. The first-round Warriors vs Rockets series is surely one of them. Intensity, physicality, passion – the seven-game thriller had everything the fans hoped for. Things even got heated on several occasions, like the time when Draymond Green and Fred VanVleet butted heads and had to be separated by teammates and staff after FVV said, “You better pray Jimmy [Butler’s] back,” Turns out, there was more to that altercation than what the world saw!

During a recent podcast, Draymond revealed the shocking insights and the unexpected aftermath, “Me and Fred got into it, Game 3. I said some choice of words that as soon as I said them, I was like ‘Uh.’ I knew it right away. That series went seven, I never said the words again for rest of the series.” In the heat of the moment, the Warriors veteran fired some words at VanVleet that he instantly regretted.

Things only escalated in the high-stakes drama of Game 7, when Draymond Green caught Fred VanVleet with an elbow while trying to swing a pass—sending VanVleet to the floor and earning Green a technical foul in the process.

So naturally, Draymond’s brutal words stuck with VanVleet, and he confronted the four-time champ about it upon their recent meeting. “I saw Fred last night… He was like ‘Yo, I need to talk to you’ as soon as I got to the table… ‘What you said, like the words you said I was…’” Green remarked.

Draymond instantly realized where the conversation was heading and immediately accepted his mistake, “As soon as he started saying, I said I’m sorry. I was wrong and I knew it right away.” Indulged in a competitive environment, it’s easy for players to get overwhelmed by emotions and say something they did not intend to. That’s exactly what happened with Green, but he was not shy to apologize when the time came. And that’s where he believes he often gets misconstrued.

Of course, Green and VanVleet go way back—most notably clashing during the 2019 NBA Finals. And while their on-court battles have been intense, there’s always been an undercurrent of mutual respect. In fact, Draymond once acknowledged just how impactful VanVleet was in that series, admitting, “Fred VanVleet is the reason we lost to Toronto in the Finals.” A rare nod from one fierce competitor to another.

Draymond Green reveals mindset during heated on-court moments but hates being ‘dumbed down’ to just that

Over the years, Green’s inability to keep his emotions in check and controversial on-court antics have significantly tarnished his reputation. Many believe just because he is aggressive during games, that’s his natural state, even off the hardwood. When Draymond got suspended twice in the same season, first for choking Rudy Gobert and later for hitting Jusuf Nurkic, the toll from the backlash nearly forced him into retirement.

However, Draymond wants people to understand that his mindset on the court is very situational. Addressing the VanVleet incident, for example, he remarked, “When we on the court, I’m mixing it up with your teammates and he did what he had to do. I’m mixing it up with your teammates and you coming to the rescue, but the way these little n—– talking, and you come to their rescue, you with them now. The gloves are off. I’m willing to go there now.”

On the court, Green has no remorse for his opponents because his sole focus is to win. However, that emotion ends once the whistle blows and buzzer hits zero. And the veteran superstar does not want his reputation to be judged by these select incidents, “That’s the problem I have with it is, don’t try to take what I do in my job, what I do to make a living, what I do to compete, and try to dumb me down to just that.”

Draymond Green’s fire on the court is almost a job requirement. As the Warriors’ defensive anchor and emotional leader, it’s his responsibility to bring intensity and edge every night. But off the court? That switch flips. He’s measured, thoughtful — just another NBA star with a sharp mind and a deeper side. Maybe if the media gave as much attention to that version of Draymond as they do his on-court controversies, public perception would shift. After all, even the league’s loudest voices deserve to be heard in full. What do you think?