Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green’s pointed postgame remarks following Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals sparked a notable response from ESPN analyst Michael Wilbon, who said the comments left him “smiling” for reasons deeply rooted in shared experience.
Green addressed the media Thursday after the Warriors’ 117-93 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, pushing back on how he is often portrayed in the public eye, especially following moments of controversy.
The forward had just received a technical foul for a sequence involving Timberwolves forward Naz Reid, in which Reid committed a reach-in and Green retaliated with a wild swing, catching Reid in the face.
“I'm not an angry Black man,” Green told reporters, via ClutchPoints. “I'm a very successful, educated Black man with a great family. And I'm great at basketball. I'm great at what I do. The agenda to keep making me look like an angry Black man is crazy. I’m sick of it. It’s ridiculous.”
“I'm not an angry black man. I'm a very successful, educated black man… I'm great at what I do… The agenda to keep making me look like an angry black man is crazy. I’m sick of it. It’s ridiculous.”
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(via @anthonyVslater)pic.twitter.com/HtgKxhNZhT
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 9, 2025
The statement resonated with Wilbon, a veteran broadcaster and co-host of Pardon the Interruption, who shared his thoughts during Friday’s edition of ESPN’s Get Up.
“I kind of smiled when I heard Draymond say, ‘I'm not an angry Black man.’ I know exactly what he's talking about. The portrayal of it,” Wilbon said. “I am often that person, have been that.
“I am older than Draymond – there are things that happened publicly and privately that make you angry… Arthur Ashe once said and wrote, ‘Being a Black man in America is like having a second full-time job.’”
Michael Wilbon sees deeper meaning in Draymond Green’s comments
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Wilbon continued by reflecting on how such feelings transcend generations and how Green’s frustration mirrors sentiments long shared by other Black men in the public spotlight.
“I remember when I heard [Ashe’s quote] thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is it.’ If you go back years, decades, generations, there were many more things to be angry about than I’ve ever had or Draymond ever has,” Wilbon said. “I like Draymond’s resentment of the characterization. Again, don’t know why, may not find out why. But do I find it a big deal? No, I don’t. This is the world.”
Michael Wilbon: “I kind of smiled when I heard Draymond say, ‘I'm not an angry Black man.' I know exactly what he's talking about. The portrayal of it. I am often that person, have been that… I like Draymond's resentment of the characterization.” pic.twitter.com/QVcrKhJf5C
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 9, 2025
Green’s remarks, which came amid scrutiny over his on-court behavior, highlighted a broader conversation around race, identity, and public perception — themes that have followed his career.
Known for his fiery competitiveness and leadership, Green has also drawn criticism for emotional outbursts and high-profile ejections. He has frequently voiced frustration with the way those incidents are framed.
The Warriors, now tied 1-1 with the Timberwolves, will return to Chase Center for Games 3 and 4. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. With Stephen Curry ruled out due to a hamstring injury, the team will continue relying on its veteran core, including Draymond Green, to set the tone.
Green’s remarks may have originated from frustration, but for Wilbon, they spoke to a deeper truth — one familiar to many and far beyond the basketball court.
