In a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, Green used a word to describe Kendrick Perkins that carries heavy racial undertones. In an impromptu video uploaded to The Volume’s YouTube page, Green admitted that he was wrong to do so.
Green was comparing Perkins to other “hot take” debaters and saying that Perkins didn’t have to do that because “you played”. That’s when he said, “You went from Enforcer to c–n”.
Perkins heard that and responded on Twitter with a video lambasting Green, asking “Hey Draymond you good? The f— wrong with you? Didn’t you just win your fourth championship? What the f— you worried about me for…Forget the old media, forget the new media, Imma stand by the old law and the old law says all that disrespect and all that hoe s— of calling somebody a c—. Man you gotta be f—ed up.”
In the new video from Green, Draymond walked viewers thru learning about the responsibility he says he now has as new media member and one that is a powerful voice.
“The other day, when I was speaking, I used a word that carries a racial connotation. When I used the word, I could have very well replaced the word with clown,” Green said. “I could have very well replaced the word with idiot, moron. I could have replaced the word with anything and continued in stride….The reason being for this episode is for me to come and address that.”
Green referenced being in New York and having conversations with Commissioner Adam Silver and NBA Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars in which he said he did not realize the severity of the word he used and learned from Dumars about the word’s history during their conversation.
“For me, it’s like, stop acting corny. You’re on some weird type stuff. That’s whack,” Green explained. “For me, in using the word, that’s what I was implying. However, in understanding that everyone didn’t grow up in Saginaw, Michigan. Everyone didn’t grow up with my friends. This is such a huge moment for growth in learning for me being rookie in this business and understanding that word does not mean the same thing to everyone.”
There are a lot of people out there that are going to see that and say ‘that’s a racial thing’ and as someone who stands against racism, has stood against it for years, and who is not afraid to get out in front of it, I can admit, right here, that I was wrong. Regardless of how I may use the word to my friends or how that word may be perceived by anyone else in the world, it was wrong here.”
