In a recent conversation with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Knicks legend John Starks offered his take on the unique playing style of Draymond Green, stating that Green’s approach to the game would have garnered a different reaction in the gritty landscape of 1990s NBA basketball.
Starks remarked, “It’s good that he’s that way, but believe me, Draymond back in the day would have gotten checked real quick for his antics. See back then, guys are gonna test you. They’re not gonna be like talking and all of this stuff. Those big guys are gonna test you and see how tough you really are, but they can’t do that nowadays.”
While acknowledging Green’s value in keeping his teammates engaged and focused, Starks underlined the fundamental shift in the NBA’s on-court culture over the years. Green’s intensity and vocal leadership may be embraced today, but in the ’90s, it would have faced a markedly different response.
“So, Draymond can get away with it,” he said. “It’s no knock against him because what he does is he keeps his teammates in games. I’ve watched him get on Kevin Durant after he let J.R. [Smith] come up with that rebound in the Finals and you need a guy like that. You know, he’s good for a team and times are just different. Draymond is just wild.”
