NBA Legend Slams Draymond Green as 'Ultimate Groin Kicker' Again

“Ultimate Groin Kicker”: NBA Legend Calls Out Draymond Green Again After 6’9 Warriors Star’s Comments

The nickname that has followed Draymond Green for years is back in the headlines.

NBA legend and broadcaster Eddie Johnson took a shot at the Golden State Warriors forward after a heated game against the Phoenix Suns on November 2.

Johnson posted on X: “Bassey is definitely a surprise element for the Warriors, but obviously his eyesight is a little off when you have the ultimate groin kicker on your team.”

The comment came in response to Warriors center Charles Bassey criticizing the Suns’ physical style of play.

Bassey had questioned whether Phoenix was genuinely tough or just putting on a show.

“Like I said, it was all fake because being physical doesn’t mean you have to scuffle with guys,” Bassey said after the game.

“And I mean, that doesn’t mean you’re tough, you know what I mean? Being physical is playing hard every possession, you know, going out there, fighting for rebounds and, you know, doing what I’m doing.”

“That’s being physical, you know, challenging every shot and going out there, you know, two or three guys trying to box me out on the offensive end.”

“And that’s being physical, still getting the rebound.”

Bassey did not stop there.

“But I mean, what they’re doing is all fake,” he said.

“That’s a fake toughness, man.”

The Warriors beat the Suns 116-113 on November 2.

But the game was marked by several altercations, and Green was at the center of the most dramatic one.

Green was ejected in the third quarter after receiving two technical fouls.

The sequence began with an altercation between Green and Suns center Khaman Maluach.

Then Green got into a confrontation with Suns forward Dillon Brooks.

The second technical foul came during that exchange, and Green was sent to the locker room.

This is not the first time Johnson has called out Green.

The two have a history of public exchanges.

In January 2026, Johnson criticized Green after Green questioned Jordan Poole for not stepping in during a fight between Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams and New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado.

Johnson brought up Green’s own 2022 practice altercation with Poole, which resulted in a punch that was caught on video and leaked to the public.

Green has also been involved in other high-profile incidents.

In the 2016 NBA playoffs, Green was suspended for Game 5 of the NBA Finals after accumulating too many flagrant foul points.

That suspension came after an incident where his leg made contact with LeBron James’ groin area during Game 4.

The league reviewed the play and upgraded it to a flagrant-1 foul, which triggered the suspension.

The Warriors lost that series to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games after being up 3-1.

Green’s physical style has drawn criticism from players, analysts and fans for years.

He has been fined multiple times by the NBA for on-court conduct.

In 2023, Green was suspended indefinitely by the league after striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face during a game.

The NBA cited Green’s “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts” in announcing the suspension.

Green has also been involved in altercations with Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings.

Against the Kings in April 2023, Green stomped on Sabonis’ chest after Sabonis grabbed his leg while on the ground.

The league suspended Green for one game for that incident.

Johnson’s latest comment came after Bassey’s remarks about the Suns.

Bassey, who is listed at 6-foot-9, has been a key reserve for the Warriors this season.

He has provided energy and rebounding off the bench.

But his comments about Phoenix’s “fake toughness” opened the door for Johnson to bring up Green’s history.

Johnson, who played 17 seasons in the NBA and was named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1989, is now a broadcaster and analyst.

He has never been shy about criticizing Green.

In his X post, Johnson did not mention Green by name but used the phrase “ultimate groin kicker,” which has become associated with Green over the years.

The post quickly circulated on social media.

Fans and analysts weighed in on both sides.

Some defended Green, pointing to his four NBA championships and defensive impact.

Others agreed with Johnson, saying Green’s career has been defined as much by his antics as by his accomplishments.

The Warriors are currently 5-3 on the season after an 0-3 start.

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has been a major factor in the turnaround.

The 24-year-old is averaging 21.5 points and 7 rebounds on 50% shooting from the field.

Green has praised Lendeborg, calling him “the next face of the franchise.”

But Green’s own role on the team has come under scrutiny.

He has been ejected once already this season.

His technical foul count is among the highest in the league.

And his on-court confrontations have led to questions about whether he is more of a liability than an asset.

That phrase — “a liability more than an asset” — was used by another NBA champion in a separate report about Green’s ejection.

The report, published by Yahoo Sports, quoted an unnamed former NBA champion who said Green “has been a liability more than an asset.”

The article noted that Green’s ejection against the Suns came after he committed multiple fine-worthy acts in a span of 10 seconds.

According to the report, Green was involved in a scuffle with Maluach, then confronted Brooks, and then received his second technical foul.

The NBA reviewed the incident but did not suspend Green.

According to Yahoo Sports, Green was not expected to face further discipline beyond the ejection and any fines that may come from the league office.

The Warriors have not publicly commented on Johnson’s post.