“Not a Good Basketball Strategy”: Victor Wembanyama Makes Feeling Clear About Draymond Green’s Shove During Warriors-Spurs

In June, after Victor Wembanyama’s flagrant foul in the NBA Finals, Draymond Green said he has been “on record saying European players are dirty.” On Friday night in San Antonio, Green had the ball in his own hands, so to speak. He shoved Victor Wembanyama from behind, was assessed a flagrant, and the Spurs star gave a three-word review afterward.

"It's not surprising," Wembanyama said when asked about the play.

The foul came with 6:47 left in the second quarter of San Antonio's 123-85 win over the Warriors. Green was called for a Flagrant 1 for a forearm shove from behind off a running start that sent Wembanyama tumbling out of bounds. Officials ruled that the contact included a "wind-up."

Wembanyama was also asked how he prepares for more physical play from defenders like Green, and his answer was blunt. "I feel very secure, I know I have to be smart," he said. "It's not a good basketball strategy and it shows."

The scoreboard supported him. The Spurs won their 11th straight game and stayed unbeaten in NBA Cup play, with Stephon Castle scoring a season-high 32 points. Wembanyama finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds in just 21 minutes. Green, meanwhile, had four points, three rebounds and three assists in 16 minutes, and the Warriors were held to 85 points without Stephen Curry in the lineup.

Golden State’s only double-figure scorers were L.J. Cryer with 20 points and Charles Bassey with 11. The Warriors have now lost two straight, including Wednesday’s loss in Houston that ended their eight-game winning streak, and Curry’s right oblique tear is a major reason.

Why Wembanyama’s “Not Surprising” Reaction Carries History

The short answer matters because of how much history exists between the two. In June, Green said Wembanyama’s tactics were “a bit dirty” after Wembanyama’s flagrant foul on Karl-Anthony Towns and a shove on Jalen Brunson in the Finals. Wembanyama had two flagrant fouls at that point, and the NBA chose not to upgrade the Brunson shove to a flagrant, which would have meant a suspension.

Green’s remarks were not entirely critical. He said Wembanyama is a great player. Green himself was suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 Finals after accumulating flagrant fouls, a decision that affected a series Golden State lost.

By saying he was not surprised, Wembanyama suggested that Green’s physical approach is a predictable part of playing against him. By saying it “shows,” he implied that the strategy has not worked, as the 38-point margin on Friday indicated.

For Green, the timing is unfortunate. He had a fan removed in Houston two days earlier, and his role without Curry has become more important. The Warriors need his playmaking and defense on the court, and every flagrant increases the risk of a suspension later in the season.

Golden State plays at New Orleans on Monday, while the Spurs visit Utah on Sunday.

Green's shove was a minor foul in the box score and a bigger story because of his reputation. Wembanyama's response was short, but it said what he wanted: the physical approach is expected, the Spurs are comfortable with it, and the results on the scoreboard are what matter.