Draymond Green is no stranger to controversy; he is arguably the most controversial star in the entire NBA. Whether he’s drawing up controversy by his antics on the court, at practice, or on his podcast, Green knows how to get people talking.
Green had former teammate and two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant on “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” which you knew would be great for a few soundbites.
While the podcast definitely did have some from Durant, Green made some waves for his comments about the era in which he and Durant teamed up together.
Stephen A. Smith Challenges Draymond Green’s ‘Best Era’ Claim
Green said that he felt 2015-2019 was the best era of basketball. Naturally, because Green won three NBA championships during that period, many thought he was biased or just entirely off base.
Stephen A. Smith, while live on “First Take,” replied to Green’s thoughts, pointing to multiple eras of basketball that have a claim to being the best.
.@stephenasmith can't believe Draymond Green said 2015-2019 was the best era in the NBA 😯
"He didn't say team. He said eras. I mean, are you kidding me?" pic.twitter.com/ZkOq4d3zqs
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 28, 2025
“You’ve got to be kidding me. This is not about a team,” Smith said. “Now I don’t mind him sitting up there talking about the best team ever. One would argue with it, but I don’t mind that. Three championships in four years, the leaders they were … I get that.”
“He didn’t say teams, he said eras. Are you kidding me? Did you see Magic [Johnson] and the Showtime [Los Angeles] Lakers against the Boston Celtics in the ’80s? Did you see the road that the Chicago Bulls had to travel en route to six chips?”
Smith, of course, presented a solid point, as he detailed all of the talent from the ’90s that the Bulls had to face as they built their dynasty, as well as the ’80s run with the Lakers and Celtics.
What Is the Best Era of Basketball?
Everyone will never agree on the best era of basketball — it is virtually impossible. Age groups, ideals, and what you consider the best vary by person, but the debate always sparks a fair share of interesting comments.
The era that Green holds as the best absolutely had some amazing moments and talent, and that can not be taken away. That era of the Warriors, the three-headed monster on the Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and more, gave the world great basketball.
On the flip side, the two eras that Smith spoke of also deserve the proper credit. The ’80s saw the rise of the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons, the Celtics, the offensive prowess of the Denver Nuggets, and, of course, the Showtime Lakers.
The ’90s gave us the iconic Michael Jordan-Bulls dynasty run, while the Phoenix Suns, Seattle Supersonics, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, and others were competing heavily every night.
There’s no right answer to the best era of basketball, but you could imagine the debate will always rage on. What will Green say next that inspires this type of reaction? I guess we’ll have to watch that next podcast to find out.
