Warriors forward Draymond Green's affection for friend, rival and Lakers forward LeBron James is a long-running joke among NBA fans. Both are represented by Klutch Sports, they've collaborated creatively and Green frequently defends James from criticism by writers and former players.
A Monday afternoon report, however, indicated that Green's appreciation for James is even greater than he publicly lets on—and it may have stoked tension at a crucial point in Golden State's season.
According to ESPN's Marc Spears, Green requested to miss part of a Warriors road trip to be in Los Angeles on Feb. 7, when James became the all-time leading scorer in NBA history during Los Angeles's 133–130 loss to the Thunder.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr shut down the idea, citing the Warriors' game against the Trail Blazers in Portland the next day.
Draymond Green asked the Warriors for permission to miss some of their road trip to watch LeBron James become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, per @MarcJSpears
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) May 1, 2023
“Steve Kerr decided it was best for Green to be with the team the night before a game in Portland, Oregon, instead… pic.twitter.com/dTYXlPhOt8
The team was scuffling at that point in the season, sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference with a record of 28–27.
Green had previously suggested that he would be willing to miss a game to watch James break Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record in March 2022.
The two All-Stars are set to meet Tuesday in San Francisco for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals matchup between the Warriors and Lakers.
