Draymond Green ejected for the second time in two weeks
Jan 5, 2026
Sylvain Sultat
Draymond Green openly criticizes NBA officiating
Draymond Green directly attacks the NBA officiating system on his podcast, questioning officials' accountability and physical ability to perform at the highest level following Steve Kerr's controversial ejection.
Jan 7, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and head coach Steve Kerr argue a call made by referee John Butler (30) during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Photo Credit : © Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
The Golden State Warriors forward didn’t mince words in the latest episode of « The Draymond Green Show. » His statements come after his coach Steve Kerr’s highly publicized ejection during the loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, a game where officials publicly admitted to missing a crucial call.
Repeated errors fueling frustration
Green explains how the accumulation of officiating errors generates growing frustration among players and coaches, particularly when they have no recourse.
« If you feel like something is blatantly happening to you over and over again, the level of emotion rises, » Green stated. « You look at these situations and think: ‘That was clearly a mistake.’ Steve got upset, rightfully so. You can’t reverse an ejection, but these kinds of things cost you money. »
The four-time NBA champion then draws a striking parallel between the demands placed on players and those on referees. « I don’t have the right to blatantly mess up over and over again in my job. If that’s the case, I’m going to lose my job. But I haven’t really seen many referees lose their jobs. »
The question of officials’ age and mobility
Green pushes his criticism further by openly questioning the age and physical capabilities of certain officials still active. « There are referees who were already in the league well before I arrived and can barely move, and they’re still officiating, » he stated.
« Sometimes people become very old and are constantly on the road, it can be dangerous for themselves and others. There are referees who’ve been there a long time, who don’t move very well anymore, and yet it continues. It’s not really one of those jobs where you end up losing your position. »
Regarding Kerr’s ejection, Green stands by his position: « Speaking of Steve’s ejection, yes, I think it was justified. » For him, the real problem lies in how long certain problematic situations are tolerated without adjustment from the league.
Steve Kerr ejected against Clippers: Warriors fall 103-102
Jan 6, 2026
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These statements fit into Green’s tumultuous history with NBA officiating, as he has already been fined $992,000 throughout his career, including $185,000 for actions toward officials.
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