Draymond Green Confirms Wife Hazel Renee’s Involvement in LeBron James Back-and-Forth as DPOY Chances Surge

If you thought LeBron James involved everyone but family, think again—because Friday night, even his opponent’s wife got caught in the crossfire. In a wild sequence that felt straight out of an NBA sitcom, Draymond fouled LeBron hard early in the game—an old-school, no-easy-buckets type hit that left Bron visibly heated. But things didn’t end there, as LeBron also hit back a little while later in what was a hilarious moment. But before we get to that part…

It was definitely a high-stakes game that the Golden State Warriors ultimately took home 123-116. Despite the Lakers’ best efforts, issues were rampant and the picture worrisome. Not only was it the team’s fifth loss in the last 10 games, but they also dropped to a 46-30 record, dropping one place to the No. 4 position behind the Denver Nuggets (47-30). Notably, during the game’s first half, the team missed 11 consecutive shot attempts. They also shot just 35.7% from the field in the first half and 34.7% in the third quarter. As per reports, defensive rebounding was also a problem, as the Lakers outrebounded 46-39 and gave up 14 offensive rebounds leading to 23 Warriors second-chance points.

James clinched 33 points, five rebounds and 9 assists on Thursday. However, Luka Doncic wasn’t able to make much of a difference with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in nearly 38 minutes of play. He shot 6-of-17 from the field and did not make any of his six three-point attempts. Hence, after the game, the player couldn’t help but blame himself. “I think [the Warriors] were playing good defense and I think we didn’t play with enough trust. That performance for me was unacceptable and when I play like that, it makes it harder for my team to win.” Stephen Curry, on the other hand, high off of a historic 52-point game, finished Thursday’s match-up with a game-high 37 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists. However, this is not the only thing that turned heads but the fun moment amid the Lakers’ upset.

The incident occurred when Draymond Green clamped LeBron one possession after fouling him. The Warriors player was seen turning toward the crowd immediately and flashing a “lock-up” signal—aimed right at his wife, Hazel Renee, who was sitting courtside. Yup, that level of confidence. And guess what? Bron didn’t take it lightly either. Just minutes later, the King pulled up and splashed a three right over Draymond—and turned to stare Hazel down with a playful but deadly look. You could practically hear him saying, “That one’s for you too.” Green even addressed the incident in a post-game interview.

A journalist pointed out, “There was a moment when you had LeBron miss a shot. You did the lockup sign to the crowd and stuff…” To this, the 35-year-old responded, “That was a fun moment. My wife and [her] fam was sitting courtside. So I did it to them. Then he hit the three on me in the corner and he looked back at them [laughing]. So, it was a very fun moment…” Green’s wife, who he married in 2022, also gave a pun-filled shout-out to her husband right after the win.

Sharing a photo of the power forward on her IG story, with his various achievements, Renee wrote, “LOCKIN DOWN WHOEVER!! Sooo Sooo Proud Of All Of Your HARDWORK👏🏼👏🏼 TOP TIER MY LOVE @money23green”. The image also noted how Warriors are ranked 4th in the NBA in Defensive rating (109.7), while Green is third in West in steals per game (1.9). Apart from that, the player is reportedly also third in West in contested shots per game (9.1).

Having said that, was it a Friendly Fire between Green and James? Well, maybe. But don’t let the smiles fool you—Draymond’s been locked in on defense. That fun back-and-forth with LeBron was just a small piece of a much bigger story. Green, who concluded the game with 8 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, isn’t just playing for pride anymore—he’s chasing more silverware, and with Wemby out, the path’s looking clearer. The Spurs rookie had been climbing the DPOY ladder until a blood clot in his shoulder shut him down. Now, he’s got a real shot.

His defensive numbers this season? Sneakily impressive. His 1.5 steals per game as we previously mentioned are his best since 2021—he’s still swatting a shot and grabbing five boards on the regular. March was peak Draymond: He anchored the Warriors to an 11–4 run while averaging nearly two steals. That earned him Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month. And if you’ve been tuning in, you’ve seen it—he’s not just defending, he’s sending messages.

Back in 2015 and 2016, he finished runner-up for DPOY. He finally took it home in 2017. Now, at 34, he’s not slowing down.

Top Comment by Mark Peterson

Donic didn’t have an impact? He nearly had a triple double. For most NBA players that was a great night....more

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Honestly, it feels like he’s trying to remind everyone—he still locks down like no one else. And it’s not just the numbers or the eye test—Draymond’s even getting love from legends on national TV.

Reggie Miller backs Draymond Green for DPOY

Reggie Miller didn’t mince words Thursday night. During the Warriors-Lakers broadcast, Draymond Green forced a turnover mid-possession, and Kevin Harlan couldn’t help but comment—“Boy, is he having some kind of defensive season.” That’s when Reggie jumped in with a bold claim: “He is the Defensive Player of the Year.”

He didn’t stop there. Miller talked up Draymond’s ability to wreck entire game plans, his switch-ability from guards to bigs, and the way he always seems to be in the right spot. And yeah, he slipped up a bit saying Green ranked top five in deflections (he’s actually 25th), but honestly, that wasn’t the point. It was the passion behind it that sold it.

Then came the mic-drop moment. With the game on the line, Draymond stripped a crucial steal—textbook timing. Miller couldn’t resist doubling down: “Give him the trophy already.”

Love him or not, Draymond’s got Hall of Famers backing his case—and the spotlight couldn’t be brighter.