The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Draymond Green Show - Being Left Off Team USA Roster Pool

Episode Date: January 29, 2024

Draymond Green breaks down his journey with Team USA and Olympic basketball to respond to Grant Hill and being left off the 2024 roster pool.  Produced by: Jackson Safon #Volume See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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terms, and responsible gaming resources. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Dremont Green Show. We have an impromptu cave edition. Welcome to the K, edition of the Dremont Green Show. And it's because I'm going to speak on something that I didn't necessarily think would have been a big deal. and, well, in a sense, I kind of thought maybe it would get picked up on,

but didn't quite know. You never know how something's going to land. And that is, there it is, Shield, USA Basketball, and me not being included on the 41 player pool for the Olympics for Paris 2024. And I've seen people relaying their opinions about it. or expressing their opinions or sharing their opinions on what should have been, what could have been, et cetera. And I think for me personally, this is one of those things where, like,

your perspective is everything. And so be that, Grant Hill shared that I wouldn't, I was left off. the pool due to suspensions publicly, I haven't the Draymond Green Show with all my loyal subscribers who subscribe and check for my thoughts and my opinions on things. I'd be remissed if I did not share an opinion or my thoughts and feelings about being omitted from the Olympic roster or the Olympic pool. And I'll say this. Disappointed, yeah, of course.

Like, to have an opportunity to play in three Olympics, it's crazy. Like, I'm not sure the amount of people that's had the opportunity. And even if you had the opportunity to play in three Olympics, which there's a lot bigger pool of guys in particular Europeans who've had the opportunity to play in three Olympics. Well, from all parts of the world, Europeans, Australians, South Americans, like they more so have had the opportunity to, I'm sure, playing three. But in particular, to have the opportunity to compete for three gold medals is a totally

different honor, be that I am one of two players, I mean, one of four players in the league currently that has two gold medals, the other three being Kevin Durant, LeBron, James, and Chris Paul. Of course, I would love the opportunity to compete for three. However, I have been left off the pool. And I think where I have an issue is. or not even necessarily an issue, but where I necessarily don't agree, I'll say,

is number one, let me address me playing in the Olympics in 2016 and me playing Olympics in 2021, which is known as Japan 2020. Obviously, the pandemic was in 2020, when in 2021. I'll take you back a little bit. I played in the World University games and going into my senior year of college for USAB, and we finished like six or seven plays. And as you all know, playing for USAB,

there's a certain standard that must be upheld. When you wear this shield, there's a certain expectation that come with that. And I think we placed maybe sixth or seventh or some trash like that. And for me, going from junior year to senior year where I said to my assistant coaching in college, like Coach DJ,

At one point, beginning to our senior year, like, man, D, I think this may be my last year playing basketball because I don't know if I can go overseas. Like, I ain't never left the state of Michigan. Like, I just think I'll be too homesick. I don't know if I could go overseas. And he laughed at me. He's like, man, get the hell out of here. Like, you're going to go to the end of me.

I'm like, I don't know, D, and I just don't know if the overseas grind is made for me. So, number one, much respect and much love to all the guys that go on that overseas journey. I know it's not easy, and I know, you know, the sacrifices that you're making. And so much love and respect to guys that make that sacrifice, because I didn't believe I could do it. And, you know, thank God I was fortunate enough to be in a position that I was in for the opportunity to compete for an NBA spot and obviously go on to have the career I hat.

But in saying all of that, in the World University Games, and what I believe to be my last opportunity to, ever play for USAB, my only first and last, we finished in six or seven plays. So I was, like, crushed, like, man, my only experience to compete with one of the biggest best winning brands in history of sports, USAB. He came in six or seven. Sucked. And I thought I'd have to live with that the rest of my life.

And then life happened, career starts to happen, and I get invited to. to the select team. And it's like, whoa, like, probably was a little older than most of the guys on the select team, but I'm taking that opportunity. Like, because if they see me for the select team, then maybe one day I just may,

like, yep, I'm a goal. And I'm going to play against Steph Curry and Derek Rose and all these guys and get those guys ready for the World Cup. And my ego is not too big. I am thrilled to have that opportunity, and I went. And it was incredible.

It was incredible. incredible, a very memorable time, I think back to like, you know, you look at the NBA today, that's when Paul George had his catastrophic injury. Like, I was there for that. And that was me being on the select team. And so that's like a very memorable time for me. I remember all of those things. I did that with, like, total joy and thankful for the opportunity.

No ego, no nothing. Yeah, I will practice hard as I can to get those things. guys ready, and it was also an opportunity to play against some of the best in the summer. Middle of the summer, kind of what you've been working on, see how that's coming along. It was a great, but also the pride and honor of helping our national team go compete for a gold medal. I took that with pride, and I was very thankful for the opportunity. Lo and behold, the 2016 Olympics is in Brazil, and a virus come along, known as a virus, as the Zika virus.

And a lot of guys, due to the Zika virus and also what had been called and deemed very dangerous of Brazil, you know, like as far as security and all of those things, a lot of guys didn't go from the 2016 team. Chris Paul didn't go. LeBron James didn't go. James Hardin didn't go. Anthony Davis didn't go. Darren Williams, Dwight Howard. when you think about all the guys that was on the 2012 team, Andre Goodal.

None of those guys went. Kauai Leonard didn't go. He didn't do any before, but he didn't go. And at the time, we know who Kauai Lenter was. We know who he is now. None of those guys went. So, lo and behold, I get the opportunity to go to the 2016 Olympics.

Would I have necessarily gotten an invite if all of those guys want to go? Probably not. but you think I care? You ever heard the saying, one man's trash is another man's treasure. So I was afforded the opportunity to go to the 2016 Olympics.

And, you know, at that time, the Warriors is number one. We were just winning championships. I'm a defensive player at a year. Writing those things, All-Star first time. Like, the cars lined up perfectly for me. We're the best team in the world.

Just went 73 and 9 on everybody's TV screen. The cars lined up perfectly, and I took advantage of that opportunity and won my first gold medal. Fast forward to 2020, we all deal with, and I didn't, by the way, I didn't play a ton in 2016, but I played in some very meaningful moments and had a couple key plays and meaningful moments to help us reach a gold medal. In 2020, I come back, and the team is much younger. Now it's not even the guys that went in 2016, Kyle Lari, no D'Andre Jordan, no Harrison Barnes, no Paul George, no Jimmy Butler, no Kyrie Irvin, no DeMarcus cousins. KD.'s still there. I'm still there. No Demar DeRosen. So, no Clay Thompson.

So me and KD are the only two guys to come over from the 2016 team to the 2020. But guess what? But 2020, Tokyo Olympics, guess what we're faced with? What we all know as the coronavirus. So it gets shut down in 2020. In 2021, I have an opportunity to compete on the Olympic team again. Just to take you back to Brazil, we stayed on a cruise ship where we were on the cruise ship. We couldn't go to many things like a part of security. Like smaller cruise ship, smaller room, shower, small.

guys didn't necessarily want to do that. I took advantage of those things. Fast forward back to 2021, I have an opportunity to play. Now, coming off to 2016, be that I played in now, and I think I would have had an opportunity to play in 2020, but you never know if certain guys want to play. But I get the opportunity to play again. And this time, because of the coronavirus,

we're locked in the hotel. The only place we can go when we lead a hotel is the arena. So in a normal Olympic experience, in 2016, I had an opportunity to see every event. You're talking about Michael Phelps break the record. Katie Ladeke break records. Namar kick for gold in Brazil. Usain boat break the record. Chaucor Stevenson.

I think Devin Haney possibly. I got to see Claritia Shields boxing matches like Allison Felix, Beach Volleyball, Carrie Walsh Jennings. Like, I had an incredible experience in Brazil. In 2021, the only thing that only other games that we could go see was women's basketball because they played in the same arena as us due to the restrictions because of the coronavirus. Tokyo was still on lockdown, so we could not leave our hotel. If you left your hotel, which you probably are going to be familiar, a couple of athletes got sent home because they found out they were outside of the hotel.

If you left your hotel, you would be sent home. That was a sacrifice. I left my family in the middle of that for seven weeks, camping Vegas for three weeks, then on to Tokyo. A lot of guys didn't want to make that sacrifice. LeBron James, those guys, those level of guys, Steph, they didn't want to do that. People didn't see that as ideal.

So again, me and Kevin Durant being the only guys from the 2012 team, I'm 16 team to come over to 2020, which happened in 2021. And now I have an opportunity not only be a part of the team, but to actually help lead the team because of my prior Olympic experience, because of so much. And I think I played a big part and had a big hand in helping win that gold medal from a leadership standpoint

and also from a play standpoint, because I played a lot more than I did in the 2016 Olympics. Very proud of that. And so I said all of that. to say, when I look at the player pool today, the Warriors are no longer the number one team in the league. We are not just coming off a championship, although we won one a year and a half, like, and not when we lost in 16, but we're 73 and 9. It's different, different, different. Yes, the recent suspensions happened, and I own those, and I've been very transparent with

you on my journey through that. I think what frustrated me is, like, for it to be like, Oh, Draymond is not on this list because of the recent suspensions. And it's like, because, like, some tough decisions we're going to have to be made. Like, when you look at the pool of guys, like, you think of all the things. This is Paris, 2024. Everyone wants to go to Paris. It's going to be fun. It's the first Olympics back open.

Like, everybody knows everyone in the NBA and the fashion thing. Everybody think they're going to go walk to catwalk and, like, all of these things. So, like, you got probably half the guys that want to go because of that reason. and they have to, some of the guys because they love USAB and what they, like Kevin Durant, love USAB, love playing for USAB and what that means and what that brings, like myself, it's going to play. You got Anthony Davis going to play.

Joel N.B. going to play. Bam out of Bay you're going to play. Steph Curry, Kauai Leonard. When I look at the names on that list, I probably wouldn't have made that team anyway. Unless it was from a standpoint that he's been on the last two Olympics and sacrifice during the time when other guys

wasn't willing to make that sacrifice. The suspensions kind of gave them an out so you don't have to face that. And I'm totally fine with that. As you know, I'm a man, I stand on my mistakes and things I've done wrong. And so I wish it just would have been like, yeah, like, Draymond, I took advantage of situation.

I'm a two-time Olympic gold medalist and no one can take that away from me. I'm very thankful to USAB. I know what it feels like to be on that eye. when you are over there and everyone and around the world want to see you lose because you USAB, and every time you turn on a talk show from back home, it's like, man, we're over here out in the world fighting for our country. And the way that we can fight for our country, I thank you to all our troops who go

and fight, put their lives on the line for our country. This is the way that we can fight for our country and honor our country. And over there doing that, you turn on TV screen and every USA, you know, TV publication and all these guys who really, and women that really, like, cover the NBA and like us and our Americans, like, they're crushing us. I've been on the island before with my brothers. I know how that feels. It's awful.

To see Dwayne Wade, who is a part of our USA basketball brotherhood, and I say this story, being had, I said this to Dway, so it's not like something that people are going to go run and say, like, oh, like I said this. to Dway personally. It hurt when D. Wade had just became an owner, and he put, good luck to Rudy Gober in the Olympics. And like I get it, you just became a jazz owner,

but you can kind of say nothing because you're kind of one of us. You are one of us. You represented like we're not represented, and you know how it feels to be on that island and to look up and see one of our brothers say, good luck to a Frenchman and they're trying to destroy us, end up beating us in game one and then losing us in the gold medal game but they beat us in the first game pool play.

Devin Booker had just got there a day of, Chris Middleton, Drew Holiday, all landed the day of because the NBA finals ran later that year. They landed the day of the first game and they all three played meaningful minutes. Drew Holiday played 29 or 31 minutes out of 40, not 48. DeBook, who ended up being a vital part of what we was doing. Drew Holiday changed our offense. Guarded Evan Fournier, Patty Mills. You see those guys, you see them in the NBA.

When they go over there and they play for their country, them boys, is different. They like Steph Curry and all that when they play for their country. Drew Holiday taking on that responsibility, but also leading our driving kick offense that led to us shredding teams. Coach Popping his first Olympics, figuring it out. Drew Holiday unlocked our offense. Let's not overthink it, guys, we're the best players in the world.

Let's do that. Let's have that meeting, players only. Let's do that. And so to see Dwayne Wade said it, like, they hurt. And so I said all of that to say I get it. Like, I know how it feels. And me, personally, I think, again, there's different perspectives and ways that you can take things. And I want to express my gratitude for playing, having the opportunity to play two Olympics for Team USA and honor my country and win two gold medals.

Yes, a part of me is disappointed because, again, if Grant was going to say that publicly, which, by the way, like I said, I got nothing but love for G. Hill. When I came into this NBA and I've publicly said this before, there was two guys I was starstruck by. One was Kobe Bryant, and the other one was Grant Hill. I grew up in the state of Michigan, Grand Hill, Detroit, Pistons. And so I wish that he would have just said that to me, you know, especially if you're going to say that publicly.

Like, and so it hurt me a little bit, like, from a fan standpoint as well, I'm a big fan of Grand Hill. And to know, like, there's been a personal relationship to tell me you need, you go, to tell me face to my face that you're going to need me for the Olympics. And then, like, to publicly find out that. Although Steve talked to me and I appreciate Coach Kerr. I didn't see Steve publicly comment. I did see Grants and so, and I'm sure we'll talk the next time we see each other.

I got much respect for Grin. Granted is a respectful man. But there's a lesson in this all. I took advantage of my opportunities, regardless of what people may say, regardless of how people may feel of why you got the opportunity. Like, don't let your ego get in the way of incredible opportunities. You may be the second option, you may be the third option. It's all relative.

At the end of the day, we all get gold medals. Nobody's looking back Until I just walked y'all through that Nobody's looking back Like oh LeBron ain't want to play because Zika You're just like no he got two gold medals So I said all of that to say

Yes I was a little disappointed That it's like oh over suspension It's like no if I'm not good enough for that roster Just say I'm not good enough Because guess what Joe L&B is Joe L'L&B A D is A D LeB LeBron is Steph is Steph

Kauai is Kauai You look at you think about the 2008 Olympics this is Grand Hills first time around. They got to prepare something for that. You're probably looking at bringing on some of the younger guys, Anthony Edwards possibly, Paulo, possibly, because you got to look ahead. And I think there's a place of entitlement where I could say like, yo, those guys could wait their term because to be still good enough to play the third time around, I think is an incredible testament to my hard work. But in saying that, I get all of those things. And I said all of that to say,

Like I said, don't be so big in your own ego to where you can't take advantage of opportunities that are afforded to you due to circumstance. Because I've been placed in an incredible position in my life and I work my butt off. And so you got to work hard to be a product of great circumstance. And I've been a product of great circumstance. And I worked for that circumstance and I'm very proud of it and I'm thankful for it. But don't get so caught up into yourself that because they ain't called you the first time or the second time, you're like, no, I ain't doing it now. Because we see guys do that stuff all the time too and miss out on a great opportunity.

I tell you what, I'm going to support my brothers. I hate that this is over here because I think it should be above a heart. But I'm going to support my brothers and watching them compete for a gold medal this summer. as you can see I have interest in other avenues so maybe I'll do something with the Olympics through this avenue or you know speaking about the Olympics with my Olympic experience or you know something in that nature there's always a silver line and there's always other things and actions that you can take and be that that's a path that I want to continue to pursue anyway as again to our lawyer subscribers thank you then maybe this is just another

opportunity for me to do this, but guess what? I am never too good to be second or third. A lot of things happen between the time of putting a pool together, putting a team together to play in the Olympics. From now, which is January to July, people drop out. We had Brad Bill catch COVID at the Olympics, like, about to head out to Japan. Zach Levine, no, Zach end up making it, but he had COVID and thought he was going to miss and he ended up clearing. Like, these are things that happen and I'm not too good for that. As I said, I thank USAB.

And if I got a call because some guys drop off that list that's just unforeseen for whatever reasons and then I need to fill a spot on that team, guess what? I'll be ready with my bags pack and go play in the third Olympics because I'm not too big to be second. So I hope you all can learn something from that. just a different perspective on things.

And that is how my true feelings on the USAB situation. Would have loved to play. Still would, but there's other things. And those guys going to have my support no matter what because I know how it is to be on that island by yourself against the world. And only the guys who's in it can feel that. I felt that like no other in 2021 where we was already isolated from everybody. literally.

So I'll be here supporting or wherever in the world supporting my USAB brothers. And if that roster don't pan out the way everybody see it because everybody wants to play right now, I would gladly play again. Much love. That's a wrap

from this episode of the Dremont Green Show. Peace.