Draymond Green had strong words for Karl-Anthony Towns following the Golden State Warriors’ 97-94 victory over the New York Knicks.
Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, the four-time NBA champion praised Towns’ physicality during their recent matchup but questioned why the Knicks big man doesn’t always play with that level of aggression.
“He 100% would be better off, and they 100% would be better off, if he always played that physical,” Green said, via HoopsHype. “And by the way — if he played that physical all the time, he’d be much more respected around the NBA than he is.”
Green recalled a heated exchange with Towns during the game, describing how the Knicks forward responded to his trash talk. “I said, ‘He is soft. He’s soft.’ Yeah, yeah, he’s soft,” Green said. “He said, ‘Man, you a hoe.’ [laughter] I said, ‘Right.’ He said, ‘You a hoe.’”
Despite his past criticisms of Towns, Green acknowledged that the 29-year-old played with a different intensity in their latest meeting. He pointed to Towns’ early aggression, including a strong drive and a dunk, as an example of how he should approach every game.
“That mentality that Karl-Anthony Towns came out with — it’s the exact mentality that he should have come out with, and I loved it,” Green added. “If KAT came out and played with the type of dog he played with against me the other night? Man — good luck guarding Karl-Anthony Towns.”
Towns is averaging 24.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 35 minutes per game in his first season with the Knicks. New York acquired him in the offseason, pairing him with Jalen Brunson in hopes of making a deep playoff run.
Green’s comments highlight a long-standing perception of Towns as a player with elite talent but inconsistent toughness. Former NBA forward Matt Barnes echoed a similar sentiment recently, stating, “KAT’s problem is he a cat. He not a dog.”
