"Lot of Brock Purdy slander": Draymond Green vehemently defends 49ers QB from critics after NFC championship win
Draymond Green isn't having any of the "slander" directed at San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Not after the second-year player directed an epic second-half comeback over the Detroit Lions in the NFC championship game on Sunday to book a Super Bowl date with the Kansas City Chiefs.
After a 119-107 win over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors forward backed Purdy and the 49ers to bring the Lombardi Trophy home.
Speaking postgame, Green was asked about his thoughts on the mouth-watering Super Bowl clash:
"I think it's going to be a great game. You talking two great teams. There's been a lot of Brock Purdy slander over the last few years. You know the way he showed up in the second half. As Stephen A. [Smith] said, if Brock Purdy showed up on the Super Bowl, that's all... no more question of Brock Purdy."
Green started at center on Tuesday and finished with nine points, six rebounds and six assists. The hosts were led by Steph Curry's 37 points, Jonathan Kuminga (26) and Andrew Wiggins (23) who stepped up to play their part in the absence of Klay Thompson.
The Warriors (20-24), who are 12th in the West, still have a lot of catching up to do, but they'll take the win nonetheless and hope to build on the momentum.
Draymond Green upset over Team USA's Olympics snub
Last week, Draymond Green was among the players not picked for Team USA's 2024 Olympics tryouts. Following the snub the former All-Star said how he was dejected to hear one of his role models speak on his non selection.
On his podcast, "The Draymond Green Show," the four-time NBA champion expressed his disappointment about former Detroit Pistons star Grant Hill.
During his NBA career, Green has suited up for Team USA on multiple occasions, and has two gold medals, from the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics. This time around, his recent suspensions have cost him a berth on the squad, as Hill explained it.
"I grew up in the state of Michigan, Grant Hill, Detroit Pistons and, so, I wish that he would have just said that to me, you know," Green said. "Especially if you're going to say that publicly like, and, so, it hurt me a little bit, like, from a fan standpoint as well. I'm a big fan of Grant Hill."
During the first half of the ongoing season, Green was suspended twice, eventually costing him 21 games, for his chokehold on Minnesota Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert and later for hitting Phoenix Suns big man Jusuf Nurkic flush on the face.
With the non selection, Green will now set his sights on helping the Warriors get their struggling campaign back on track.