Warriors star Draymond Green has responded to polarizing remarks by legendary sports talk radio host Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo.
The former WFAN host-turned-cable TV pundit turned heads earlier this week, when he said Green should "shut up and play" after Green had flipped double birds at Memphis Grizzlies fans who cheered when Green got injured in the Warriors-Grizzlies playoff series.
Russo's comments came on ESPN's First Take, where fellow analyst and former NBA star JJ Redick called out Russo and likened his remarks to the commentary heard on Fox News.
On his podcast on Thursday, Green said Russo's remarks had "racist connotations."
"I'm not sure where this Bad Dog guy came from," Green said. "I've really noticed him maybe over the course of the last couple months, going up and just screaming to the top of his lungs when he's sitting next to Stephen A.
"Yesterday, he goes on TV, and he says, 'America is tired of Draymond Green.' I'm not sure what gives him the right to speak for America. What he's done in his life -- he sits in on Stephen A.'s show and screams. So I'm not sure who he's become in sports, or in media, to say how America feels, and what gives him that right. But we're not shocked that he would think that he has the right to speak for America.
"He then proceeds to say, 'shut up and play.' I'm not really one to pull the race card very often, since we all know the role that race plays in the world we live in. But that definitely had a very racist connotation -- just, a very racist undertone. And even beyond it having the racist undertone, we don't need to go any further than, 'who are you?' Like, what have you done in your life to say 'America is tired of him. Shut up and play.' Shut up and play?"
Green then said that phrase is no longer acceptable -- and he also revealed that he had previously been offered Russo's seat on ESPN's "First Take."
"As I said on my Instagram the other day, those 'shut up and play, shut up and dribble' days -- those are long gone. We don't listen to that anymore. We don't want to hear it anymore. It has no place here, and nor will it be tolerated. I also proceeded to say, it's time for you to go home and sit on your couch, and thank the good lord that I didn't want his job. I meant that from the bottom of my heart. Before I signed with Turner, I was actually offered a spot on "First Take." So, there's your backstory. I don't play games. ..."
Green then vowed that Russo and other "traditional media" would be "held accountable" for similarly dismissive comments in the future.
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