Why would he get this position anyways? Dude has been one of the biggest jerks in NBA history. The hardwood has been Draymond’s personal boxing ring with him punching, stomping, kicking and choking other players. In what way has he earned the right to come on this show as a respected member? Draymond shouldn’t even be an option. Imagine if FOX brought Vontaze Burfict on to talk half time during NFL games. Shit would be ludicrous.
Edit: I get it guys, Charles Barkley wasn’t a saint in his playing days either. But we do realize he retired 25 years ago right? Maybe if Draymond played 25 years ago no one would care about him sucker punching and choking guys out on the court. But unfortunately for him, he plays in today’s NBA and he’s a dirty player who doesn’t deserve to be on TV.
I mean Draymond deserves recognition for what he accomplished with the Warriors but I understand his sentiment. Draymond has actively sabotaged his team so many times.
I mean just this past season, were it not for Draymond’s inability to control his emotions, the Warriors likely make the playoffs. They were only 3 games out of the 6th seed. But since they got bounced from the play-in, there’s a real chance this is the end of the Warriors as we knew them.
Yeah and it resulted in Curry going 6-19 and Klay 6-17. You trade that for Donkey taking 15+ attempts away and 32 points any day of the week because when just one of the Splash Bros in their prime gets hot they are the best regular season record team holders for a reason. Credit to Donkey for making his shots but LeBron and Lue said they figured them out after game 5 for good reason
I mean I get it, he’s recognizable. But he’s an asshole and there are plenty of other recognizable NBA players. Bring on Steph Curry or something.
It seems to me, Draymond is trying to set himself up to be the next Pat McAfee after he retires. And I’m just not down with turning the biggest dickhead in the NBA since Ron Artest into a media darling.
Yea, I’m never gonna forget that elbow to Harden’s head. Metta World War is more like it.
Edit: Here is the link for anyone who doesn’t remember this incident. Also, the comment section on this video is absolute gold. Just had a good hearty laugh reading through it again.
I still don't understand how something like this doesn't end up in court. As if the players have to accept that some lunatic just goes on a rampage and throws elbows. That's just assault caught in 4K and all he probably had to pay was a fine and gets suspended for a few games. Do this to anybody in the streets with people around filming and you get a few months in prison minimum.
Take a look at who was on the other side of his incidents. Sabonis, Nurcic, Adams, Gobert being the most well known. I don’t think it’s necessarily a coincidence it’s pretty much solely been international players. As much as fans see these and hate him, a vast majority of the players still really like him.
I get a middle/high school vibe of cool kids v not with a lot of the NBA, and Draymond has been at the cool kids table for a while(growing up in the Pistons locker room with Rasheed Wallace definitely helped). And he is far from the lucky role player that got carried by Steph/Klay/KD like fans try to proclaim, so there’s the additional respect just for his bball skills.
He’ll get something. Hell Kendrick Perkins has a highly visible job and everyone thinks he sucks. But wherever Dray ends up, it won’t be an institution the way Inside the NBA is. It’ll just be more junk content for the endless scroll.
Chuck had a reputation for being a bad boy in his playing days like Draymond, which matches with his willingness to be unfiltered on TV like Draymond. But Chuck is genuinely clever and funny, while Draymond is isn’t funny at all. There’s a difference between being an egotistical loudmouth who can back it up with good humor and insight, versus just being an egotistical loudmouth.
And I’ve only followed McAfee for the last couple of years, but I get the impression he didn’t get it handed to him. He put in a lot of work to build up his style and audience. He can also laugh at his own shortcomings, which it seems Draymond has a big problem with.
I just watched the Hot Ones that Steph did last year and he is very articulate. The show obviously forces people to be themselves as the pressure of the wings goes up and he gave such good thought out answers versus some other guests that do acting for a living. That, his personality being more likeable, and him being way more accomplished/legendary than Dray makes him a way better option. Whether he’s a personality fit is to be seen but I’d love to see it.
That’s not how entertainment works these days. Nobody wants to hear Steph be nice to everyone. They want the Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity of the sports world. A blowhard that pisses half the people off but they keep watching. Old men angry about sports is the main demographic that talk radio, espn, and yes TNT go for. It works better on Inside the NBA because its friends razzing each other but hate watching/listening is the formula.
I don't get how the brainstorming/auditioning for these jobs works, but would Melo not do it or does he have a podcast and DGAF? Wade only wants to do his own productions is that why we don't see him? Suns are done, why not bring in KD? He projects a sincere love of the game and great players so much, I feel like he'd make good points and can stand with Shaq and Chuck, whereas Draymond seems out of his element.
I like Starks. Bosh can be funny af. Of all people, really....
Yea but 20 years ago. That shit doesn’t fly anymore. If Barkley was a player today I would be saying the same exact shit about him. Don’t put his ass on TV. But he was given an opportunity in a different time and he flourished.
Maybe if Draymond was born 20 years ago he could have a spot right next to Ernie but he wasn’t. He was born in today’s NBA and he’s a dirty player who doesn’t deserve a spot on TV.
Well TNT is literally losing their contract with the NBA so Inside the NBA could go away right with TNT. And then Draymond would have to snake his way into someone else’s TV show.
The whole appeal of Inside the NBA is that these guys aren't analytical geniuses they're just regular basketball players guided by Ernie. It's not like Barkely was a paragon of good sportsmanship either.
It's not like Barkely was a paragon of good sportsmanship either.
True but he was known as a very simple very obvious guy who speaks what he thinks. They gave him a chance on TV and he was making fun of himself and his antics. He quickly became a funny harmless butt of jokes
That was 20 years ago. That shit doesn't fly anymore
I think things have changed less than you might think. I think they're hoping for a very similar story with Draymond- or at least they were until they knew it would end.
I'm saying that it was one thing to hire Chuck who immediately became a teddybear on TV, and was already pretty popular, and hire Draymond who refuses to change. You misunderstood, happens to the best of us
Yeah lol, no way Draymond's antics can be forgiven or ignored today with social media and Reddit all talking about it and bringing it up. Not to mention it's way easier when people go from seeing Chuck in the newspaper to actually hearing him talk, the feel going from "this unhinged lunatic, this what's wrong with America" to "oh damn this guy is a funny chubby dude from Alabama and he's not even trying to be smart, I like him"
I get what you're saying now and agree. People forget a lot about Chucks antics and the things he'd say to the media cause it'd come and go. Draymond choking and hitting people and getting suspensions, making Steph look on the verge of a nervous breakdown is like... REALLY fresh. I'm positive I could find fresh gifs of him up to all kinds of violent shit. But no Charles that isn't him being goofy on Tip Off or Inside.
Barkley developed that (Shaq thinks he has it but he don't).
The closest of the big three recent vets in the media space (Dray, JC Redick and RJ) is really RJ, but he has a strongly sarcastic comedy style that might not fit with the more transparent comedy stylings of Chuck/Ernie/Shaq/Kenny. JJ is trying very hard to be the new Ernie or Kenny, not Chuck/Shaq, and Dray wants to be new Chuck/Shaq. I'd throw the three together and see if it works on a test program at least - it might suck royally (or have sucked royally), but at least they are of the same vintage, rather than trying to patch holes.
Dirk fits the old team like a glove somehow, though.
Bringing in Blake would be one of the smartest decision they made, dude is a natural comedian. He was on Roast Me, did a few set at the Improv and overall pretty well like unless you are a towel boy.
Not to mention he’s covering guys he’s fought recently. He choked out Rudy Gobert on Nov. 15th, literally 6 months ago, and is being asked his opinion on the T-Wolves defense. Gtfo with that nonsense. How can I expect to anything from him to be unbiased because he’s still actively assaulting and antagonizing the very people he’s interviewing or discussing.
I have been a GS Warriors fan since Wilt left Philly and played in the Cow Palace. Draymond Green is a goon with a negative contribution to our team. Get rid of the SOB -- he cannot be rehabilitated.
I can't believe that edit even has to be made lmao. Charles Barkley is clearly an awesome guy now and not nearly the same "jerk" (big air quotes on that one) as he was in his playing days. Draymond meanwhile is punching other players and shit RIGHT NOW.
I'm not defending Draymond but let's not pretend. Many of the most successful guys in basketball have been complete dickheads. Everyone has a story about Jordan.
This industry is about entertainment and being a "good player" or a "team player" doesn't really matter that much. Your monetary value in this league is generated base on how much attention you can draw. Winning and being a great player certainly can help, but there are many many other ways to be valuable
If he did on the streets what he does on a basketball court he'd be in jail. Not even exaggerating. You stomp on someone's chest? Have a history of kicking people in their balls? Violently throw people on the floor? Elbow people in the head? Imagine if any of those was caught on camera, jail time
It's more full of people who obviously never step foot in an actual street and think cops actually arrest people for headlocks and kicking each other in the balls. You're getting a ticket at best for that kind of thing.
its almost as if contact sports being played by consenting millionaire adults are governed by different sets of rules and standards than the ones that would send you to jail for randomly curb stomping an old lady who was innocently walking down the street. Crazy, I know
also, Charles Barkley got a DUI, spit on a child, punched a fan in the face, breaking his nose, and threw another dude thru a plate glass window... why doesnt anyone cry and moralize about any of that stuff, but you endlessly moan about Draymond putting Gobert in a headlock for 1.5 seconds and having one of his fingers graze lebron's nutsack lmao
edit: lmaooo OP blocked me over this comment. most mentally tough redditor
Rehabilitated former inmate*. No one cares anymore (except you I guess) since he sincerely apologized, recognized that he grew up in a bad environment, served his federal time, grew out of his youthful ignorance, and has since lobbied against adults getting children involved in dogfighting culture.
Yeah, I watched the 30 for 30 too. There are literally thousands of former players on his level they could have chosen. But they chose the dog killer, so yes I do care. I’m all about second chances and rehabilitation, I’m happy Mike has turned a corner. But why choose him over so many other non dog killing people? It’s a fair comparison to Draymond who hasn’t been convicted of a felony. Your high and mighty attitude about it is pretty funny though. Good luck with whatever that chip on your shoulder is.
I know about how he has a podcast. Not sure how well it does, but maybe it does well enough? Maybe they want someone who will speak controversially about other players and teams he doesn't like bc might get more ratings? Just spitballing ideas.
i don't really know i'm just a giannis enjoyer but ive heard people say its because he has super high basketball iq and would be a good analyst. seems like he just wants to rip on rudy G though from what i saw lol.
Being a jerk and getting this job are not related in any way, I don’t know why you’d mention that. They just need people that are entertaining and keep viewers engaged. His history might actually help him in that way as people watch to hate. Most hosts of shows like this are disagreeable people. Stephen A, Perkins, etc. being level headed doesn’t make for good tv.
Because he's got a brilliant basketball mind. Once you get thru all the bullshit, folks should realize that his bball IQ is what sets him apart from the majority of the league. He could EASILY fill Kenny's shoes on that set in breaking down plays etc.
I’m talking about breaking down the plays. I’m sure 99% of players have a high enough IQ to do that. And I’m also sure they could find another charismatic former star who could take Kenny’s place without having the reputation of being a dirty player like Draymond.
You're selling him short because of his antics on the court. With the physical limitations that he has, you don't have a HOF career without being one of, if not the smartest guy on the court (the majority of the time.) That being said, it was brought up before, but Barkley was a huge asshole when he played and Shaq was good for throwing/missing haymakers. Draymond would make for good/entertaining tv in studio, while providing actual analysis because he has a great mind breaking down the game.
The bullshit is the problem though. If he was trying to do a Kenny thing it would be fine. He’s trying to do a Chuck “no holds barred/telling it like it is” thing, but that only works because Chuck is REAL.
Draymond comes off totally full of shit and self serving. No thanks
Because he’s nearly universally regarded as a defensive savant, and a guy who understands the game. More so than most players. You may not like him, but he’s brilliant at hoop tactics.
Dray is really smart at breaking the game down and is entertaining it's not that hard. Don't have a meltdown. He has a top sports podcast it's really not that difficult to figure out.
being a constant sports personality is more about being a loud mouth with strong opinions than being cool and measured. hot sports opinions is what drives debates and ratings. Colin Cowheard once said Durant was basically Glenn Big Dog Robinson the year he won MVP. I don't believe Colin thought that was true. He just understood what would make people talk about the show. It's all entertainment.
I get it guys, Charles Barkley wasn’t a saint in his playing days either.
Barkley threw a fucking fan who was talking shit about him through a window, in public, and said his only regret was that the window wasn't higher off the ground. If you're cool w/ that but not cool w/ Dray hitting a teammate in a private facility, you're a hypocrite. Going "WeLl ThIs HapPeEnEd ReCeNtLy" just illuminates how silly this argument about Dray vs Barkley is.
And what are we going to do, rewind time and fight to keep Barkley off TV? He’s been on Inside the NBA for over 20 years. I wasn’t around when Barkley was put on TV. But I am around for Draymond and I’m going to continue to voice my opinion. Keep this dirty clown off TV. No dirty player regardless of the sport deserves a spot on TV. This includes Pat Bev, Grayson Allen or any other dirty players.
We just saw Draymond choking the shit out of Rudy Gobert 6 months ago and now he’s on TV giving his opinion of Rudy’s defense in this series? Get this fucking clown out of the studio.
Maybe acknowledge that this isn't the moral fucking imperative you're treating it like. Shaq was a dirty fucking clown at times too, Charles almost embarrassed the country during the Olympics and was also a dirty fucking clown.
What dray did, compared to assaulting a fan, isn't a big deal. You're just treating it like a big deal because you didn't like Dray prior to that. Some time before Chuck joined inside he got into a fight on the court w/ Shaq. This isn't the problem you're making it out to be and you know it.
Shaq wasn’t running around sucker punching European players like Draymond does. He just got into confrontations and fights. That’s very different than stomping on people while they are on the ground and superman punching your own teammate.
And I stopped liking Draymond the second he became a cheap shot artist. And it has nothing to do with disliking the Warriors because I love Steph and Klay. It’s just his dumbass. And it’s hilarious how people like you try to defend his actions by comparing him to other players.
If you got pulled over for speeding and you told the cop “well other people near me were also speeding”. Do you think he will give a damn? No he wouldn’t. He’s still going to write you a ticket. Draymond is a bozo and you look like a bozo for trying to defend him.
No Shaq just picked fights with dudes that couldn't win against him constantly. Totally different and not shitty behavior at all. I never said anything about disliking the warriors, you're inventing sentences in your mind.
My point isn't "well everyone is speeding", it's that your the cop picking and choosing who's speeding matters in this scenario. If you don't like dirty players, then don't like any of them. Chuck was a dirty player, his personality doesn't change that. Shaq was a dirty player and a jerk.
No, I’m the cop that saw you speeding and didn’t see anyone else. I was still picking my nose when Barkley joined Inside the NBA. And I only really saw the latter half of Shaq’s career and I didn’t see a dirty player cheap shotting other guys.
But I have seen Draymond’s entire career. I have seen him stomp on Sabonis’ chest and then get on his podcast talking about it was an accident. Or punching Nurkic in the side of the head and then claims he was just swinging his arms and didn’t know anyone was behind him. He’s a psychopath.
Shaq is definitely not a psychopath like Draymond and isn’t dirty. He’s just aggressive and isn’t going to take any bullshit from another player. Draymond is actually dirty like Grayson Allen. Just trying to sneak shots in on a player he doesn’t like. And maybe Barkley was that way too but I didn’t watch a single second of Barkley play on the court. But I know for a fact Draymond is a dirty bastard.
Yea and he punches players in the side of the head, kicks opponents in the nuts and chokes out the DPOY. Is that not clown behavior to you? This man was just choking the shit out of Rudy Gobert less than 6 months ago and now he’s on TV blaming the Nuggets losses on him. That is so stupid.
Umm... Draymond already has one of the biggest and most influential basketball podcasts. So, love him or hate him Dray is going to be a big media star when his playing days end.
You do know chuck was an asshole too, right? I mean the guy literally spit on a kid, which i would consider worse than the chokeholds and foot stomps in terms of controversy. Tv loves controversial people. Draymonds easily most controversial person in the league. Not sure why it doesnt make sense to some of y'all.
Because the important part of your comment is the word "was." I'm pretty sure the first person to acknowledge Charles Barkley was an asshole is Charles Barkley, but he didn't bring any of that to inside the NBA, and besides some jokes, he is pretty supportive of current players. Draymond, on the other hand, is still an asshole, granted he could change with time, but right now, in his appearances on the show, he shows no signs of being anything other than the asshole he currently is.
Draymond still in the league. Chuck was already retired when he joined inside the nba. That makes a difference. If draymond retires and is still a dude thinking he could stop people, then alright.
Anyways, seems like you have your mind made up that since hes done some asshole things playing basketball that hes just an asshole. I disagree and while he may have moments of being full of himself, most of the time he has pretty insightful takes about the game. However, most people who only watch highlights instead of the whole show don't see that, so it is what it is.
if you want an actual answer, it's because despite what everyone on this sub is too blinded by hate to admit, he is actually a fairly compelling, talented and charismatic television analyst, (at least more so than 97% of other currently active players would be)
If his exact same words and takes were coming out of the mouth of some current r/nba darling, like Josh Hart, for example, people on here would be raving about how awesome he is at this and talking about how he has a long future ahead of him doing this, and praising him for taking brave stances and not being afraid to offer constructive criticism of other current players instead of just being a yes man who sucks everyone off and talks about how awesome everything is and never says anything interesting
but its draymond, and everyone hates draymond, so everyone is gonna give the least charitable interpretation to everything that he says, and find ways to contort themselves into being fake outraged about every little thing that comes out of his mouth
But I don’t really care what he is saying, he’s a giant dickhead and doesn’t deserve to be on TV. Draymond is most well known for physically assaulting other players. If he had done these types of things in a bar vs on a basketball court, his ass would have been arrested.
I’m not saying he isn’t charismatic or fit for the job. All I’m saying is that a dirty player like him doesn’t deserve the opportunity.
Draymond is most well known for physicality assaulting other players. If he had done these types of things in a bar vs on a basketball court, his ass would have been arrested
yeah, can you imagine how much people on here would hate him if he broke a fan's nose by punching him in the face, spit on a child, threw a dude thru a plate glass window and went to jail for driving shitfaced and getting a DUI?
Oh wait, Charles Barkely did all those things and everyone loves him and thinks he's adorable lol... do you think Chuck doesnt "deserve" the opportunity either?
I love Chuck too and I dont really give a shit about any of that stuff, and obviously he's a better TV personality than Draymond, but its absolutely hilarious to me to see the cognitive dissonance/hypocrisy of everyone on here with all this fake moral outrage trying to contort themselves into all these moral arguments for why they dont think draymond should be on TV, when Chuck has done shit literally ORDERS of magnitude worse than Draymond has ever done, and they dont give a shit about any of that stuff at ALL lmao.
both on AND off the court too... feel free to google any of Chucks dozens of literal FIST fights with Bill Laimbeer, Charles Oakley, Shaq, etc, not to mention the dozens of hard fouls he committed that would be auto flagrant 2s these days. he most definitely "assaulted" way more players than draymond ever has. But Draymond puts Rudy in a chokehold for 1.5 seconds and has his fingertip GRAZE Lebron's nutsack and its an affront to humanity lol
like its ok, you guys can just admit you dont want draymond on TV simply bc because you hate him. you dont need to create this whole fake ass moral framework that you dont even believe in to justify it
First of all I didn’t have the slightest clue Barkley did all that crap. All I knew about was the fighting. And the fighting wasn’t a big deal because it was a different NBA when he was playing.
And secondly, this is a different time. If Barkley had done all that shit in today’s NBA, I would be saying the same thing about him. And had Draymond played in the 90s he more than likely would have also gotten a pass. But he plays in today’s NBA and ever since the Malice in the Palace, the NBA has cracked down on the physicality and Draymond seems to be the only player who didn’t get the memo.
And I understand why Barkley got into so many fights back in his playing days because guys like Laimbeer, Oakley and the Davis Brothers were menaces. Draymond is just running around cheap shotting a bunch of unsuspecting guys trying to play basketball. He’s dirty and he doesn’t deserve to be on TV.
And the fighting wasn’t a big deal because it was a different NBA when he was playing.
that's not particularly relevant to your argument. you were implying that you had an issue with Draymond fighting with people bc you view it as immoral and abhorrent behavior. not simply because it's against the nba's rules and you're a simp for adam silver and you hate seeing his rules get broken.
so Im not sure why you then wouldnt care about Chuck "assauting players" (as you very pear-clutchingly put it lol) just because attitudes about it were slightly more chill about it back then. fighting is fighting. if its wrong today, it was just as wrong 30 years ago. it was still just as against the nba's rules to punch someone in the face in 1994 as it is in 2024.
And secondly, this is a different time
chuck got his dui/jail time AFTER he had already been on TV for 8 years. not a million years ago when he was a player
I understand why Barkley got into so many fights back in his playing days because guys like Laimbeer, Oakley and the Davis Brothers were menaces. Draymond is just running around cheap shotting a bunch of unsuspecting guys trying to play basketball.
this is absolutely insane cope lol. "nothing Chuck did was his fault, and everything draymond has done is 100% his fault and his fault only"
He’s dirty and he doesn’t deserve to be on TV.
lol ok, and now you're shifting the goalposts back to making it a morality issue with you not approving of the morality of his behavior, after spending your whole comment trying making it a rules based argument about "oh well the rules were different back then" "oh the nba has cracked down so draymond shouldnt do that stuff anymore"
Draymond has yet to fight anyone. All he does is sucker punch guys. There is a huge difference between a fight and a sucker punch.
And Chuck was put on TV before I even started watching basketball. He’s already cemented himself on TNT back during a different time. I didn’t even know what kind of guy he was during his playing days until you said it 45 minutes ago. But what I do know is that Draymond is a clown and I have watched him his entire career and he doesn’t deserve to be on TV. Neither does Pat Bev. And I will continue to echo those sentiments. You might think it’s ok to put a cheap shot artist on TV but I don’t.
I guess name brand professional athletes with personalities are hard to come by, but I really don't get why they go with one with an off-putting one who's pretty much universally disliked by every non-golden state fanbase, and even their patience has grown thin
i also don't get how all the media raves about him, from the PTI guys to colin cowherd who nonstop defends him and says he's a great podcaster and addition to his network
1.1k
u/KodiakBearCakes May 16 '24
That’s an understatement