On his podcast, the Warriors veteran delivered a fiery rebuttal to external drama, attributing Kuminga’s absence to knee tendinitis and praising the young forward’s professionalism and buy-in.
In a passionate and expletive-laden defense of his teammate, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green took to his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” to dismantle what he called false narratives surrounding Jonathan Kuminga’s recent move to the bench.
The drama ignited when Kuminga, after starting the Warriors’ first 12 games, was moved to a reserve role for the first game of a back-to-back set against the San Antonio Spurs. Speculation ran wild, especially after he did not play in the second half, with some outsiders suggesting he was unhappy and being made a “scapegoat” for the team’s early-season struggles.
Green, however, set the record straight with characteristic bluntness.
“I know everyone loves a good drama,” Green said. “Everybody’s saying, ‘Oh man, he’s being the scapegoat,’ and this, that and all that. There’s no scapegoat. We’re 13 games in. Ironically, all the people that start running around saying scapegoat are people that never won.”
The Real Reason: Bilateral Knee Tendinitis
Green revealed the crucial piece of information that had been overlooked in the rush to create a storyline: Kuminga is dealing with a legitimate medical issue.
“I know JK was questionable to see if he was going to play last night, and he ended up not playing because he wasn’t really feeling it,” Green shared, attributing the absence to bilateral knee tendinitis. “Voila! Oh my God! It’s not what y’all thought. It’s unbelievable. Look at that.”
Praising Kuminga’s Character and Work Ethic
Beyond refuting the rumors, Green launched a full-throated endorsement of Kuminga’s character and commitment to the team.
“JK has been one of the most bought-in guys on the team all year,” Green stated. “Oh my God, he’s not the f–king a–hole and baby that y’all try to make him out to be… Kid works his ass off.”
Green framed Kuminga’s desire to be an All-Star not as a source of conflict, but as the mark of a true competitor. He argued that any player with that ambition would naturally be frustrated by a setback, but that it doesn’t equate to being a malcontent.
A Championship Perspective
The veteran forward placed the entire situation in the context of a long NBA season, mocking the idea that a championship-caliber team would panic and need a “scapegoat” just 12 games into the schedule.
“Only bad teams and losers panic in Game 12 of an 82-game season with 70 games left,” Green concluded, making it clear that the internal perspective within the Warriors’ locker room is far removed from the external noise.
With Green’s forceful clarification, the Warriors can now focus on basketball, with the truth about Kuminga’s health and mindset out in the open.