Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal is coming to the defense of Draymond Green, who made headlines for his involvement in a heated altercation during the Golden State vs. Minnesota game earlier this week.
In an exclusive interview with TMZ Sports at his charity event in Los Angeles, Shaq expressed his support for Green, stating, “I would have done the same thing!”
While criticism has been directed at the Warriors’ player for placing Rudy Gobert in a chokehold during the on-court scuffle, O’Neal refused to join the chorus of disapproval. According to Shaq, the reason behind his stance is simple – the importance of standing up for a teammate.
The Warriors and Timberwolves got chippy just two minutes into their in-season tournament game 😳
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 15, 2023
Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels were all ejected. pic.twitter.com/m7UvULewa2
In a candid moment with a TMZ Sports reporter, Shaquille O’Neal drew a parallel to a hypothetical situation, explaining, “If me and you are having an interview and somebody comes here,” Shaq told our photog, “I’m going to have to whoop their a**. Because you’re my homegirl.”
However, not everyone shares O’Neal’s viewpoint. Warriors coach Steve Kerr acknowledged Green’s defense of Klay Thompson but emphasized that the forward had crossed a line. “Draymond was wrong. He knows that. It’s a bad look,” Kerr stated in a press conference.
In the aftermath of the incident, the NBA handed down a five-game suspension to Green. Consequently, the Warriors find themselves 0-1 in games played without him. As opinions on the altercation continue to circulate, Shaquille O’Neal remains steadfast in his support for Draymond Green’s actions, illustrating the complexities of loyalty and sportsmanship in professional basketball.
