The Golden State Warriors had media availability in New Orleans on Thursday evening, for the first time since Charles Barkley apologized for saying he wanted to punch Draymond Green in the face on Inside the NBA.
“Let me say this, I apologize to Draymond Green and his mom,” Barkley began on Inside the NBA Wednesday. “What I said was inappropriate. I would never punch an NBA player. I meant what I said. I meant what I said. I would never punch an NBA player. Draymond Green is a good player, I think he’s a nice kid, I wish him nothing but the best, but what I said was inappropriate.”
Charles Barkley apologizes to Draymond Green and his mother for saying he would punch Draymond in the face…”What I said was inappropriate” pic.twitter.com/pXuOaReqg5
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) May 3, 2018
When asked about his apology, Kevin Durant said he didn’t buy it.
“No, I didn’t,” Durant said Thursday. “He said what he said. He felt that way. But Barkley ain’t punching nobody, like Draymond said. I don’t think he would’ve done that back in the day either. I don’t know why he’s so angry all the time at the new generation of basketball. But I guess that’s what it is.
“We rarely see Charles Barkley anyway,” Durant continued. “He’s going to stay in the studio, look at games on TV and we’re going to go out here and just play the game that we love. He had his time already. I’m sure there were plenty of guys back in the day he had an opportunity to punch and he didn’t. We can move on from that.”
Curry echoed Durant’s sentiments, and commented on how his mom would’ve reacted if he’d apologized for something but then said he meant it when he was a kid.
“I would’ve gotten slapped in the face,” Curry said. “Draymond handled it amazingly. … When it comes to people with microphones and on screen or whatever, can’t take that stuff too seriously because most of it is for show.”
As for Warriors head coach, and former TNT employee, Steve Kerr, Barkley’s comments were done in the interest of entertainment.
“I didn’t take it very seriously,” Steve Kerr said of Barkley’s stated desire to punch Green in the face. “It’s just Charles.”
Steve Kerr on the Barkley/Draymond stuff pic.twitter.com/k8Uqv0Qzi4
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 4, 2018
