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Draymond Green-Rudy Gobert beef, explained: Warriors forward continues to take shots at Timberwolves center

Gilbert McGregor

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Draymond Green-Rudy Gobert beef, explained: Warriors forward continues to take shots at Timberwolves center image

If it wasn't clear by now, Warriors forward Draymond Green is not a big fan of Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert.

Green, who is moonlighting as an analyst on TNT's "Inside the NBA" during the Western Conference Finals, has used his platform to amplify his criticisms of the four-time Defensive Player of the Year. Green's latest suggestion to bench Gobert in favor of reserve forward Kyle Anderson has again raised some eyebrows.

How did the two get to this point? As part of an extensive beef, both Gobert and Green have traded barbs, with things getting physical early in the 2023-24 season. Here's a history of the longstanding feud.

MORE: How Anthony Edwards' comments inspired Kyrie Irving's scoring outburst in Game 1 win

Draymond Green-Rudy Gobert beef, explained

Gobert's tearful NBA All-Star snub

In 2019, Gobert cried after missing out on a selection to the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte.

Green used Gobert's emotional response as an opportunity to take to social media, posting: "I guess I should cry too... no Charlotte?" along with three crying emojis on X.

After Green earned a selection to the 2022 All-Star Game, he used his moment to take another shot at Gobert, making fun of the center's emotional response to the All-Star snub.

"One thing I can assure you, if I didn't make it this year I wasn't gonna cry," Green said to TNT's studio crew. "I 100 percent assure you that. It has to be Rudy, I mean, the man cried on national television when he didn't make the All-Star team, thank God he made the next three."

Insecurity is always loud

On Oct. 7, 2022, a video of Green punching then-teammate Jordan Poole surfaced on social media. Gobert used it as an opportunity to clap back, taking to X to post, "Insecurity is always loud," seemingly a response to Green's antics.

Green would respond six months later, posting the exact same message after Gobert was sent home for punching teammate Kyle Anderson in a huddle during the last day of the 2022-23 NBA regular season.

Green places Gobert in a chokehold

Less than two minutes into the first regular-season meeting between Green's Warriors and Gobert's Timberwolves in 2023-24, things got out of hand.

As Klay Thompson and Jalen McDaniels became entangled, the two jostled with one another, causing the incident to escalate. As Gobert got a hold of Thompson, Green rushed to his teammate's aid, putting Gobert in a headlock, which forced Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns to pry him off.

Gobert didn't hold back when asked about the situation, going as far as insinuating that Green intentionally gets ejected when Stephen Curry is inactive. He called Green's actions "clown behavior" and said he thought Green intentionally tried to get himself thrown out because Curry was out with an injury. 

“Every time Steph doesn’t play, he doesn’t want to play without his guy Steph so he does anything he can to get ejected," Gobert said, via Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. 

MORE: Complete history of Draymond Green's suspensions

Green's criticism of Gobert continues in the media

With Green in the TNT studio for Minnesota's third consecutive loss to Denver in the Western Conference Semifinals, he made it a point to criticize Gobert, who was on the receiving end of 40 points from MVP Nikola Jokic.

"The big Frenchman is sitting on that podium, speaking his native language — 'we, we, we (oui, oui, oui) need to do this' — you, you, you need to get a stop. It ain't 'we.' Karl-Anthony Towns is actually doing a pretty good job when he's on Joker. It's you, my man, that's getting cooked."

Green was at it again on The Draymond Green Show.

After counting the Wolves out, Green returned to his eponymous podcast to credit them for their historic Game 7 win over the defending champs. Still, his compliments could be taken as backhanded.

"Rudy Gobert came in and played big basketball but that was after getting bullied, and KAT stepping up to that challenge and taking it on," Green said. So, was it actually a compliment? 

There's more. After Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Green framed his question to Mavericks star Kyrie Irving in a way that doesn't look great for Gobert.

"You and Luka seem to love Rudy Gobert in that drop coverage," Green began, causing everyone on the set to hold back laughter. "What did y'all see in the drop that y'all were able to take advantage of?"

Irving didn't exactly take the bait but Green's question coupled with his podcast comments would suggest there are more jabs at Gobert to come.

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.