If there is one moment Golden State Warriors fans wish they could change about the 2016 NBA Finals, when the Cleveland Cavaliers registered a historic comeback at their cost, it would not necessarily be erasing LeBron James’chase-down block or Kyrie Irving’s game-winning three-pointer in Game 7. Instead, they would want Draymond Green never to be suspended from Game 5. Yet, if you ask the former Defensive Player of the Year himself, he would not undo what happened, because for him, respect is non-negotiable, and that outweighs everything else.
Draymond on why he doesn’t regret what he’s done
Through the first four games of the 2016 Finals, Draymond was a well-rounded, steady force, averaging 14.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per outing. However, late in Game 4, with under three minutes remaining in the Warriors’ 108-97 win, Green struck James in his groin after the latter stepped over him. Upon league review, the action was deemed a flagrant foul 1, which triggered a suspension for Game 5.
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As a result, Dray’s absence proved costly. With him sidelined, LeBron and Kyrie both erupted for 40-bomb performances to register a 15-point win. Many viewed that to be the momentum-changing point in the series.
Yet, in hindsight, Green recently admitted he had no regrets about his reaction toward James. For him, the incident was about standing his ground, as he felt LBJ went above and beyond to step over him when he had enough space on the court to walk. Thus, he had to respond, regardless of the consequences, to set the record straight, as a man.
“F–k no. Yo, if you fall down and you’re getting up, and I put my leg on top of your shoulder, what you gonna do? I will never regret that. I wouldn’t want my son to think that if somebody does that to him, it’s ok,” Green said during his appearance on Kai Cenat’s stream. “That’s as a man. There’s a lot of space, you don’t step on my shoulder… here’s the thing, in this thing that we do, respect is paramount, it is everything… Respect in this thing that we do, obviously, money is important, but the next thing is respect. You know why it’s respect? What’s legacy? Legacy is respect.”
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What Draymond could’ve done differently?
Considering Green’s reputation as an emotional player who wears his heart on his sleeve, such a reaction was hardly surprising. Still, had he channeled his emotions more constructively, the Warriors may have stood a better chance of containing Cleveland’s superstar duo in the following contests.
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Put simply, Dray was in strong form at the time, and with him on the floor, Golden State might have had a legitimate chance to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy on its home court.
Ultimately, Green’s lack of regret highlights a larger truth about his character: some individuals do not view such moments as mistakes to be corrected; rather, they act on them solely based on the principles they’ve held since their early years.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.