has had an eventful career, but never more explosive than in certain spells of this season. His divisive actions have led to critics questioning who he is as a person, but the Golden State Warriors stalwart recently suggested it’s not quite as straightforward as that.

The four-time NBA All-Star has explained that he performs under an alter-ego, per Howard Beck of The Ringer. But ‘the artist formerly known as Draymond’, this is not – Green implies that he transforms into the hyper-competitive, elite defender when he steps onto the court and that explains why his actions don’t always match his off-court personality.

“The person that I am, sitting here talking to you, is not the person I am on the basketball court. They’re not the same person. And it’s almost like, I know I probably sound crazy talking to you like this, like I got an alter ego or something, but when I’m competing on the court, when I’m doing my job, that’s not the same person you’re going to deal with on a daily basis… And I’m totally fine with that.”-Draymond Green

Draymond Green Switches it Up

The ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ approach has mostly worked for Green

What we have seen from Green in interviews and on his podcast hasn’t always matched the player we see on the court. Throughout his highly decorated career, the Michigan native has generated his basketball powers in unconventional ways, and for the majority of his time with the Warriors, his aggressive, gritty playing style has translated to success.

However, over the winter months of this NBA season, Green’s approach boiled over into unprofessional recklessness. The four-time NBA Champion was ejected and suspended on two separate occasions for violent acts.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Draymond Green has committed 106 fouls this season, good for 125th in the NBA.

Green choked Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, which was punished with a five-game ban, and carelessly swung his arm into Jusuf Nurkic of the Phoenix Suns, leading to an indefinite suspension.

After completing a list of conditions set by the NBA, Green was reinstated after a month, having missed 12 games in total. After taking part in counseling sessions and publicly reflecting on his behavior, he returned in a far more composed and locked-in manner. The positive change has resulted in a 14-7 run from Golden State, an improvement on their previous form.

Draymond Green NBA Career Stats

Green Has a Reputation

The 34-year-old has a history of on-court controversy

Though his questionable behavior reached its peak in 2023, Green hasn’t exactly had the cleanest rap sheet throughout his illustrious tenure.

Previous incidents played a part in his punishment, with high-profile incidents having caused his team issues in the past. In 2022, Green punched his teammate Jordan Poole during a practice, and just a month later, he stomped on the chest of Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings.

A long list of technical and flagrant fouls also contributed to building Green’s reputation through the years, as well as high-profile kicks to LeBron James and Steven Adams.

Draymond Green’s NBA Disciplinary Record

But the big man insists that it’s always been the same; the perpetrator in those stories is simply not the real Draymond Green.

“I tell people all the time: If I had $1 for every time someone said to me, ‘Wow, you’re nothing like I thought.’ … It’s because you were judging me (from) the basketball court. If I had $1 for every time someone said that, I’d be way richer than I am now.”-Draymond Green