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By Matthew Couden
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Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green issued a warning to the NBA coaches who publicly criticized Miami Heat superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Former Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers made headlines recently when he commented on Antetokounmpo's basketball IQ and ability to execute plays. Several days after Rivers' comments were published, ESPN reported that Antetokounmpo said he was "speechless" over his former coach's comments.
Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie followed suit, weighing in on the superstar's mid-range shooting ability, prompting Green to address both NBA coaches on his recent podcast.
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While Green said that he didn't believe Rivers intended to take a personal shot at Antetokounmpo, he warned coaches about publicly calling out players, suggesting it could lead to players doing the same to them.
"I say, you know, if coaches going to get to the point to where coaches start talking crazy, players should start talking crazy about coaches, too," Green said on "The Draymond Green Show."
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"Talking about a top 20, top 30, whatever you want to say, Giannis is on the all-time rankings like that is crazy, and so I'd say be very careful with all of this Giannis dialogue," he also said.
Green suggested that coaches who publicly criticize players could face consequences down the road, including making players reluctant to play for them.
Rivers' initial remarks were made on "The Bill Simmons Podcast," when he said that the former Bucks superstar "doesn't necessarily have this super IQ" for basketball and suggested he "really has one way: downhill, force, force."
According to ESPN, Rivers apologized for his previous comments and indicated he should've said that Antetokounmpo doesn't have a "feel for the game" instead of suggesting he lacks a "super IQ."
"I was saying he was one of the most interesting guys. He makes unbelievable passes, but then at times, because of his force he plays at, it gets in the way of his feel. It was more of a compliment. I hate this and feel bad about it. I apologize for the distraction. I'm not trying to be one," Rivers said, per ESPN's report.
Along with that, the former Bucks head coach indicated that when he called Antetokounmpo "hard to coach," he was trying to make the point that "whenever you have a great player, you have to fit the team around that great player."
He also indicated that he texted Antetokounmpo an apology over the comments he made on Bill Simmons' podcast.
Rivers coached multiple NBA stars and superstars during his career, including when he coached a "Big Three" of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett, who won a championship with the Boston Celtics.
He compiled a 97-103 record during his tenure with Milwaukee. The Bucks also had back-to-back first-round exits from the playoffs and then failed to reach the postseason after the 2025-26 season.
Rivers stepped down as Bucks coach after the 2025-26 season amid speculation about Antetokounmpo getting traded to a new team.
Antetokounmpo is now in a new era of his career, following this offseason's blockbuster trade from the Bucks to the Miami Heat. "The Greek Freak" is averaging 27.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, while shooting 56.7% from the field, with the Heat sitting at 5-6 overall.
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