Draymond Green shirking Tristan Thompson after 2018 finals video goes viral after his comments on Domantas Sabonis
After Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, tempers flared. Following the hard-fought series, Domantas Sabonis was criticized for not shaking hands with Green given their stomping incident in Game 2.
The way the outspoken veteran saw things, regardless of what took place during the series, once it's over, the animosity should be gone. While some agreed with the claims, others understood that Sabonis was likely in no mood for pleasantries given what transpired between him and Green.
As the old saying goes, the internet doesn't forget. Shortly after Green criticized Sabonis for failing to shake hands, fans dug up footage of the outspoken star snubbing Tristan Thompson in 2018.
At the time, Draymond Green justified snubbing Thompson, proudly stating during the Warriors championship parade that the two men were simply different.
“He tried to shake my hand. I said, 'Tristan, we ain’t cut the same.’”
See throwback footage of the situation below.
"He tried to shake my hand, I said 'Tristan, we ain't cut the same."
–Draymond on not shaking hands with Tristan Thompson after Game 4. https://t.co/VJn82lYUsz
What did Draymond Green say about Domantas Sabonis, and how has the Kings star responded?
With all the animosity circulating between Golden State and Sacramento fans in the wake of the comments, let's look back at what exactly Draymond Green said. On his podcast, he referred to the 2016 NBA Finals, where he admitted that he also left the court without shaking hands:
“Lost a lot of respect for Sabonis. You don’t shake guys’ hands after you lose, I don’t respect that. I once left the court when we lost in Game 7 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and I went to my locker room and I sat down and I said, ‘This don’t feel right,’ and I walked back out on the court and I showed everybody love.
"You lost. Deal with it. Pay your respect.”
After hearing about Draymond Green's comments, Sabonis was asked what he thought about the vet no longer having respect for him. Without missing a beat, Sabonis, who was still sporting a black eye from Kevon Looney while attempting for a rebound, quickly admitted that he wasn't sure how to respond.
Although the beef may not be resolved, the two teams will have to wait until next season before they meet once again. Of course, with Green facing a player option this offseason, he could very well wind up landing on another team.
Despite wanting to stay with Golden State, there has been speculation that he could join forces with LeBron James in LA. Sabonis, on the other hand, is still under contract through next season, meaning that he'll be back in the Kings' signature purple and silver next year.
Before weighing his contract options, Green and the Warriors will look to continue their dominant playoff run against the LA Lakers in their second-round matchup. The series is set to tip off Tuesday night with the Inside the NBA crew handling broadcast duties on TNT.