Team USA only had one thing separating them from Gold in Paris and that was the host nation, France. After a month of challenges, verdicts, and anticipation, the LeBron James-led side was inches away from tasting the final bit of success they came together for, after hectic NBA seasons. And they did it in emphatic style! They overcame a nifty French team, spearheaded by Victor Wembanyama, a golden victory that meant more than what it looks on the surface.

Having two Olympic gold medals behind him, Draymond Green knew that fully well. Before the Final, he discussed his personal feelings about France and how he enjoyed watching them in agonizing pain, a story from the past. Speaking of his experience of playing against them, the Warrior said, “I think a few years back France had won the World Championship or something and they start acting as if they were kind of better than Team USA or they beat us in the World Championship or something of that nature.”

“And they kind of start acting as if they’re on the same level of us. And that’s just not a realistic thing when it comes to playing basketball,” he said on The Draymond Green Show. France had beaten Team USA in the first group stage game of the Tokyo Olympics. After that, Evan Fournier was critical of the hoopers, but in retrospect, the comment backfired and it came to bite France back. “They are better individually, but they can be beaten as a team,” the Frenchman had said.

“I’ll never forget Evan Fornier like yeah, they’re a good team. I mean, they’re great players but they’re not a team and then to go on and lose to us in the gold medal game. We saw some tears, and it was fun to watch and as we stood up there on that podium getting them gold medals,” Draymond Green recalled the incident. While the Dubs veteran predicted France would lose to Canada, the host nation proved it wrong by making it to the final. But again they were left in tears by Team USA and Draymond savoured every bit of it.

Draymond Green’s sneaky idea of attending Team USA’s Showdown in Paris

A few days after Vincent Collet decided to bench Rudy Gobert, Green floated the thought of going to Paris to attend the game and have a conversation with Gobert up close. “I’m going. No, straight up, I’m going. I need to talk to Rudy Gobert. I’m going. I’m this close to wearing both of my Gold medals,” Draymond said, leaving his co-host Baron Davis laughing hysterically.

Davis even pitched the idea of the Warrior sitting behind the France bench to make one of the best stories of the event. As we saw, that did not come to pass, but Team USA got the job done anyway by winning 98-87. Rudy Gobert only managed to add 2 points to the scoreboard in the 12 minutes he played. Dray got to view that from the crowd as he was seen cheering for Team USA in all his glory.

Green and Gobert’s beef started last year after the former put the Timberwolves C in an unexpected and dangerous headlock. He was suspended for 5 games, but since then he kept firing shots at the Frenchmen. He continued it during the NBA playoffs this year when Draymond joined the panel of ‘Inside The NBA’. His constant criticism led to the Wolves boycotting post-game interviews with TNT, but, Draymond being Draymond, stopped at nothing and still rants about the DPOY to this day.

Now with the Olympics wrapped up, the duo are set to rekindle their one-sided beef again when the new season tips off in October.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.