After criticisms and backlash over his viral interaction with Charles Barkley in Inside the NBA, Draymond Green made it clear that he never intended to disrespect the Hall of Famer.
Draymond Green has finally broken his silence over his controversial back-and-forth conversation with Charles Barkley in the past Inside the NBA coverage of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Draymond Green
Draymond Green
Draymond Green
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According to the Golden State Warriors star in the latest episode of the Draymond Green Show, he never intended to disrespect Barkley from his Houston Rockets days.
The incident notably went viral after the Hall of Famer said that Green and the Warriors' title window is officially closed, immediately prompting Green to say that the goal was to never be like Barkley during his Rockets days.
"I also explained that the reason I made the joke was because it would be stupid to criticize Chuck’s prime years in Phoenix or early Houston. What Chuck himself jokes about is his final two seasons in Houston, where he openly says he was out of shape, hurt, and just collecting free money," Green said. "That’s why I found it interesting that people tried to turn it into me thinking I’m better than Chuck, because it really showed how badly people want to see me fail."
Green also argued that he doesn't understand people's notion that he might be thinking that he's way better than Barkley.
As such, Green also revealed that his mother actually called him to ask if he and Barkley were beefing, which was quickly denied by the four-time All-Star.
"I’m sitting at the pub and my mom is texting me saying I’m into it with Charles. I told her no, there’s no beef. She kept asking, so I FaceTimed her and put Chuck on the phone. My mom’s favorite players are Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Isiah Thomas. She asked if we were into it, and I told her to stay off Twitter because people don’t know what they’re talking about. Chuck told her we were just having drinks, and she was relieved. We said good night, and that was it.
"What I saw today is what always happens — people online create narratives that aren’t real."
In the end, Green made it clear that he has utmost respect for Barkley and several other legends' legacies, like Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing, who never won an NBA championship.
"There’s no disrespect from me to Charles Barkley," Green reiterated. "That’s just not how I operate. There was a time when our relationship was more contentious, but it’s not like that anymore. I’m looking forward to golfing with Chuck and always consider it an honor to share the stage with him.
"I’m also a man of accountability. If something I said was received as disrespectful publicly, even if that wasn’t my intent, I can say sorry publicly. I don’t have an ego about that. My intent was pure, but I understand it may have been viewed differently. If that’s the case, I apologize. I like to address public things publicly."
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