Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green found himself at the center of controversy this week after making speculative comments about New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns.
Green had suggested that Towns missed a recent game against the Warriors to avoid facing his former Minnesota Timberwolves teammate, Jimmy Butler. However, it was later revealed that Towns had been absent to attend the funeral of a close family friend, prompting Green to issue an apology.
During a postgame interview following the Warriors’ victory over the Brooklyn Nets, Green addressed the situation.
“Oh, man, that’s unfortunate. I’m sorry to hear that. That sucks,” Green said when informed of the real reason behind Towns’ absence.
Q “You seen reaction to your KAT comments [that he ducked game v Warriors]? Were you aware of circumstances?”
Draymond “No”
Q “He was at funeral for family friend”
Draymond “Oh man…But what I heard was…what I heard…I send well wishes…but the Draymond Green Show will go on” pic.twitter.com/jy0RICbUvv
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 7, 2025
He went on to offer his condolences to Towns and his family, acknowledging the difficulty of dealing with loss. However, Green’s apology was met with mixed reactions, as he quickly pivoted back to promoting his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.”
“Oh man…But what I heard was…what I heard…I send well wishes…but the Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis must go on”
Green’s comments sparked backlash from fans and analysts, who criticized the lack of sincerity in his apology. Many felt that his remarks came across as dismissive and self-serving, particularly given his decision to plug his podcast during the same statement.
Towns, for his part, returned to the Knicks’ lineup in their next game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Speaking to the media, he expressed gratitude to his team and the organization for their support during a difficult time.
“This is one of those moments where I had to be there for my family and be there for the kids that lost somebody really special to them,” Towns said.
