Golden State Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green has carved out a reputation as one of the NBA’s most versatile defenders and passionate leaders throughout his 13-year career. However, former Warriors wing Stephen Jackson seemingly isn’t impressed by his contributions to the franchise’s immense success over the past decade-plus.
Since being drafted in 2012, Green has played key roles in four NBA championship squads, serving as the Stephen Curry-led unit’s defensive anchor and emotional engine. His fourth title (2022) came shortly after he launched his now-popular podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” in late 2021.
Even so, Jackson views podcasting as a major obstacle hindering active players from achieving high-level success.
Why Did Stephen Jackson Call Out Draymond Green and Active NBA Podcasters?
During Saturday’s edition of “All The Smoke,” Jackson, a 14-year NBA pro-turned-podcaster, outlined the difficulty players face trying to manage podcasts during their playing careers. The 47-year-old claimed that every active player podcaster has failed to live up to expectations, daring his guests to identify one who has achieved dual success.
“Half the players that’s playing that got [podcasts], they can’t do it. I ain’t seen nobody be successful doing it yet,” Jackson said. “I mean, they successful in the media space, but I’m talking about on the court and podcast. Nobody’s been successful in both. Name one.”
When Green was brought up, Jackson brushed off the four-time All-Star’s accomplishments and influence on Golden State’s winning culture. The ex-Warrior pointed to Green’s complementary role, consistently playing off Curry and other elite players.
“But his role is super limited to what he gotta do, bro,” Jackson asserted. “He’s not the guy on the team, like the go-to guy, the star. He’s just floating around to do the dirty work.”
Stephen Jackson says there are no NBA players who can be both successful basketball players and successful podcasters, and he calls Draymond Green a super limited player 👀
(🎥 @allthesmokeprod / h/t @BASKETBALLonX )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 15, 2025
Despite Jackson’s dismissal of Green’s legacy, the 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year hasn’t experienced a noticeable drop-off since venturing into podcasting. He is coming off his fifth NBA All-Defensive First Team selection and first since 2021, marking the ninth All-Defensive nod of his career.
While Green isn’t nearly as prolific a scorer as Jackson was at his peak, he has amassed far more career accolades, including two All-NBA designations. Conversely, Jackson never earned any major NBA awards or individual honors.
Additionally, Green is one of a growing number of big-name players juggling podcasting with on-court productivity, including Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks stars LeBron James and Jalen Brunson.
As such, Jackson’s critique may be disconnected from the modern NBA landscape, where players are more actively cultivating their personal brands than ever before.