That complex relationship almost hit a breaking point midway through the 2025-26 season, potentially signaling the final stretch of their time together. Over a decade of highs and lows culminated in a tearful confrontation in December 2025 that reshaped how Draymond Green and Steve Kerr view each other. Amid retirement chatter and mounting tension, Kerr opened up about their dynamic and Green’s temperament—in a conversation with The New Yorker, comments that quickly made their way back to Green.
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Speaking on his podcast, Green revealed that following a heated December incident where he walked out on the team, he confronted his coach with a brutal assessment of their bond. “I spoke to him after that and it was like, ‘I don’t think you like me, I don’t think you’ve ever liked me if I’m honest’ and like he cried… like, ‘Really?’” Green shared.
That moment peeled back the emotional layers of a dynasty rarely seen in public, exposing just how fragile even the strongest partnerships can become.
“He’s such a unique person. There’s things he’s done that I can never forgive him for and yet I will do anything for him,” Green added, echoing sentiments Kerr recently shared with The New Yorker.
Even while expressing gratitude, Green didn’t shy away from taking a subtle shot, blaming Steve Kerr for restricting his individual ceiling. He noted that since Kevin Durant’s arrival in 2016, he has not had a single play run for him in the playbook. Still, he balanced that critique with perspective, crediting the 9x champion (both as a player and coach) for elevating him to a championship level beyond what he learned under Tom Izzo at Michigan State.
Draymond reacts to Steve Kerr's comments in the New Yorker “I don't take that any way at all, speaking of this December thing, I spoke to him after that and it was like 'I don't think you like me, I don't think you've ever liked me if I'm honest' and like he cried... but if you Show more
“What he’s meant to me in my life, what he’s taught me in my life… I could never repay him for that,” Green stated, though he maintained that in a relationship this long, “you gotta take the good with the bad.”
That “bad” wasn’t theoretical—it played out publicly just months ago.
One incident marred Draymond Green and Steve Kerr’s relationship
The fracture became impossible to ignore during a December clash that briefly derailed the Warriors’ sideline. Steve Kerr told The New Yorker that Draymond Green lacked the “patience” to coach in the future. When asked about their heated altercations, Kerr said:
“Yeah. I mean, people pulling us apart. And in my first five years, we would get into three knockdown, dragouts a year…” He goes on to say, “The coach has to demand certain behaviors, certain habits. So then, for a long time, we had a truce. I understood him so well. He understood me. But this year we had a major blowout in December. He’s such a unique person. There’s things he’s done that I can never forgive him for, and yet I will do anything for him.”
Green later pointed to that same moment as an exception, not the norm, emphasizing that their relationship isn’t defined by constant conflict. The incident, as many recall, unfolded during a 120-97 victory over the Orlando Magic.
After a turnover and a subsequent argument with an official, Kerr attempted to “herd” a distracted team into the huddle. The resulting “back-and-forth” became so intense that Green chose to leave the bench entirely, missing the final 20 minutes of the game to “cool off” in the locker room.
While Kerr initially kept the details private, calling it a “decision” Green made, he recently told The New Yorker that the event was a “major blowout” that tested the very community he had spent years building.
Even now, Kerr’s evaluation of Green walks a fine line between admiration and frustration. He described Green as the “best defensive player I’ve ever seen,” comparing him favorably to legends Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman due to his “seven-one wingspan” and elite basketball IQ.
At the same time, Kerr acknowledged that Green’s intensity has fueled years of “knockdown, dragouts” throughout their 14-year partnership.
That push-and-pull now looms large as the Warriors approach the twilight of their championship window. While both claim the other has done unforgivable things, their loyalty to each other remains steadfast. Kerr even claimed he’d retire if Green and Stephen Curry did.
With no immediate contractual pressure to resolve, the burden falls on Kerr to navigate what comes next. Their willingness to confront uncomfortable truths may ultimately shape the franchise’s direction heading into a pivotal offseason.
