Draymond Green’s physical play developed a bit of a reputation around the NBA. Especially after his questionable flagrant foul on LeBron James that earned him a suspension during the 2016 NBA Finals, the Warriors star began to be identified by many as a “dirty player,” someone who would do whatever it takes to get ahead.
Naturally, such a reputation bothered Green, and as he told Cari Champion on “The Brownprint,” he got some valuable advice from one of the NBA’s all-time greats, Kobe Bryant.
"You're chasing something so much bigger, so much great than the average person can understand," Green said of Kobe's message to him. "The reality is 99 percent of the world is OK with mediocrity. How do you even expect them to be able to understand you?"
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
“Dray, I never gave a f--k if they understood me because I knew I was on to something so much bigger than they could even understand,” Green continued, repeating Kobe's advice.
RELATED: Draymond explains why he doesn't want media in locker rooms
It’s never easy for NBA players to tune out the media and fans, especially when there are scores of articles a day coming out about the league and its players.
Bryant was an NBA legend, winning five titles for the Los Angeles Lakers and earning a spot in 18 All-Star games. He tragically was killed along with his daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in January.
