Draymond Green Rips ‘Mad Dog’ Russo After ‘Shut Up and Play’ Comments: ‘Go Home And Sit On Your Couch’

Sports media personalities often have over-the-top or outrageous takes on talk shows to boast ratings but Chris “Mad Dog” Russo rubbed a few people the wrong way this week when he told Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green to just “shut up and play” after his Game 1 ejection. The controversial statement was immediately challenged by ESPN analyst J.J. Redick, cooking him on First Take Wednesday, along with most of NBA Twitter.

Green himself has started the transition from athlete to sports personality, while still playing in the league, and responded to Russo’s comments directly on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show.

.@Money23Green responds to @MadDogUnleashed’s “shut up and play” comments pic.twitter.com/TZMkALMDkD

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) May 6, 2022

“I’m not one to really pull the race card very often because I think we all know the role that race plays in the world that we live in but that definitely had a very racist connotation,” Green said Thursday. “Those ‘shut up and play,’ ‘shut up and dribble’ days are long gone. We don’t listen to that anymore. We don’t want to hear it anymore. It has no place here and nor will it be tolerated.”

The Warriors enforcer proceeded to call out Russo for the negatively-charged comment, revealing that he was actually offered a role on ESPN’s flagship debate show before he signed with Turner Sports.

“I also proceeded to say ‘It’s time for you to go home and sit on your couch. And thank the good Lord that I didn’t want his job,’ I meant that from the bottom of my heart. Before I signed with Turner, I was actually offered a spot on First Take,” Green stated.

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