Draymond Green’s shove on Victor Wembanyama demands a strict message from the NBA

Let's just come right out with it: Draymond Green needs to be suspended for multiple games. His flagrant 1 doesn't come close to covering what he did to Victor Wembanyama on Friday night, and I'm sure I speak for a large number of basketball fans who have had enough with his reckless behavior.

With 6:47 left in the second quarter and the Spurs whipping the Warriors like a parent with anger issues, Green came flying in from behind and knocked Wembanyama to the floor when the 7'4" Slender Man wasn't looking. Officials even noted the wind-up, confirming Golden State's problem child picked up speed on his way to shoulder blocking Vic's spine.

It was the 21st flagrant of Green's career, playoffs included, and it came less than two weeks after he was ejected from a game against Phoenix because he can't control himself. Wemby was okay, but afterward he said Dray's actions were "not surprising" and that's the whole issue. But Vic's civility doesn't make it a harmless play—far from it.

Draymond Green put the Spurs' franchise star at risk

You don't have to look far to see what a hit like this can do. In November 2021, Nikola Jokic charged into Markieff Morris' back, causing Morris to collapse and hurt his neck and subsequently miss 58 games with whiplash.

Keef was never the same after that, as evidenced by his time on the floor being slashed in half. Before the injury, Morris was averaging 20 minutes a night; that number dropped to 10.1 when he returned and he never again averaged more than 11 a game in the few years he had left before leaving the game.

Jokic was suspended for one game, while his victim's career was changed forever. Now imagine that happening to Victor Wembanyama, a player who thrilled and scared basketball fans simultaneously before his arrival. Injuries are everyone's biggest concern for a man with his size and frame, and Green's disdain for self-control could have brought those fears to life.

Wembanyama isn't just San Antonio's franchise star, he's the next face of the league. A young man's trajectory could have been altered forever because a 4x champion couldn't keep his head on straight while his team was getting pummeled. Everyone who loves this game should be furious about that.

The league needs to put their foot down and protect their stars

Green's rap sheet isn't a secret. He put Rudy Gobert in a headlock and was suspended for five games. He struck Jusuf Nurkic in the head and was suspended "indefinitely", as the league cited his repeat-offender history. He stomped on Domantas Sabonis' chest in the playoffs. He swung at LeBron James' groin in the Finals, and he kicked Steven Adams in the groin, too.

(What's up with this guy and groin shots?)

The dirty play is bad enough, but he's also incredibly disrespectful to the refs. His complaining and berating of the officials is tired, too. Dray has spent more than a decade testing exactly how much the NBA will tolerate, and he has learned the answer is a lot.

Jokic only got one game for his shove, but he didn't have a history like this. Green is a habitual line-stepper who has been warned, suspended and fined, and he's still doing this. A flagrant 1 and a shrug isn't going to change his behavior. The league needs to up the punishment and suspend him for multiple games. When is enough enough? Make a damn statement.

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