“He is spoonfeeding these guys the basketball,” said Draymond Green back in May, when providing a critique of Luka Doncic. That remark was just one amongst many that the Warriors’ power forward has used, over time, to provide his own analysis of the Slovenian star. After all, not only has Green been 6 years longer in the NBA than Doncic, he commands more championship titles and individual accolades. However, in the last 2 seasons, it has been Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks that have gained the edge. No better recent example is there than the Mavericks’ recent win against the Bay Area franchise. After all, Luka Doncic played a key role in the same. In fact, the player was so good that Green may have confused himself about his nationality!

During the post-game presser, Draymond Green sent his praise to Doncic by stating, “Luka….Typical Serbian.”

Immediately after saying that, however, Green corrected himself, “He’s not Serbian. He’s Slovenian, but they’re all right there, and they kind of have this like nonchalant demeanour, you know, where it’s like ‘Oh you hit the tough shot’, and talking junk only at times he gets lively”.

Draymond Green faces enough trouble from competing with players like Nikola Jokic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Nikola Jovic. Therefore, no one can blame Green for having dealt with Doncic recently and believing that he may have been of Serbian heritage. However, as the Warriors‘ power forward highlighted, the European players do bring a different style to the game. It is a new world within the NBA itself. A world that the veteran and his peers have to overcome if they wish to again secure the championship title.

Interestingly, the 34-year-old’s remarks came a few hours after he and Luka Doncic created a memorable moment for viewers. As the game progressed, the Slovenian said “Shut Up” to an unspecified player. Draymond Green reportedly thought that the remark was towards him. The Mavericks star clarified the mistake to Green before he ended up saying shut up to the latter, anyway.

Yikes!

Although, if longtime fans know anything about Luka Doncic, it is that the point guard/shooting guard does not hesitate to go verbal during competitive moments. It’s a good thing that Draymond Green did not take things to a physical level. After all, he is known for doing so on quite a few rare occasions.

The Dallas Mavericks utilized team effort to deliver the Warriors their 2 consecutive loss. However, it was Doncic who carried the offensive effort with his whopping 45 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. While he was on the court for 38 minutes, the five-time All-Star achieved the triple-double within his first 26 minutes.

It was only about two weeks ago when Nikola Jokić had done something to a similar effect against the Dubs. After all, he made a double-double with his 38 points and 10 rebounds. Probably having gotten ‘traumatized’ by the feats of the European players, Green mistakenly called Luka Doncic Serbian.

Then again, the GSW vet highlighted that European players sweeping over the NBA isn’t something he may be ready to see.

Draymond Green dismisses Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokić becoming NBA’s face: “America still dominates”

In a June episode of his long-running show, the Golden State’s floor general sent his praise to the non-American players by stating, “the European countries definitely have put out players. Joker, Luka. As of late, those two. Wemby. They have put out some generational talents as of late, for sure”.

Despite the personal respect he held, Green, however, made it clear that he did not believe that Europe was taking over the NBA. In fact, he refused to believe that these players would be considered the next faces of the league!

“I’m not sure we’ve still reached a day where a European guy is the face of the NBA, because the NBA is an American League,” said Green. “I’m just not sure we’ve hopped that hurdle yet. But we will soon see, or you all will see, because I know the real … how America still dominates. And by the way, when you look at domination, you can’t just also look at like ‘Oh, this star and that star’. You have to look at the whole, like the whole body of work.”

Months later, it is a Slovenian who is once again dominating Draymond Green & Co. Meanwhile, Jokic’s Denver Nuggets are looking to move up, while Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks have won 10 of their last 12 games.

With time slipping away, the power forward now has limited opportunities in hand to dominate over his rivals.