Draymond Green’s Response To An Oklahoma City Heckler Was That The ‘Slave Days Are Over’

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The Warriors-Thunder game in Oklahoma City on Saturday was one of the most hotly-anticipated games of the season as it marked Kevin Durant’s first return after leaving the team in free agency last summer. Since then, speculation about his beef with former teammate Russell Westbrook has dominated the narrative, and fan resentment and bitterness had reached such a fever pitch that Durant decided to bring along extra security, just in case.

The boos were loud and plentiful just about every time he touched the ball, but that didn’t stop him from going off for 34 points in a decisive 130-114 win, the third consecutive victory for Durant and the Warriors over OKC since his departure. Fans still had a field day heckling their former hometown savior, and one in particular who was seated behind the visitor’s bench may have taken things a little too far, according to Draymond Green. Via CSN Bay Area:

That guy was just disrespectful to all of us the entire night. I’m all for you cheering for your guys. Cheer. Heckle. Heckle all you want. But don’t be disrespectful. Calling guys p-words and all this stuff and “Get over there, little boy.”

This ain’t the ancient times. Slave days are over. You’re not going to talk to guys like that. That’s disrespectful.

Here’s video via Chris Haynes of ESPN that reportedly shows security officers trying to calm the man down:

The fan in question, Rich Taylor, though he admits to heckling Warriors players, denied Green’s characterization that his comments were racially-charged. Via Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman:

Green’s accusations of racial insults were “because I got under his skin,” Taylor said, noting that neither Warriors coach Steve Kerr nor guard Stephen Curry suggested he’d said anything racist.

“You’re under a microscope when you sit that close,” Taylor said. “I know walking in there that I can’t even swear. One swear word gives them the right to throw me out of the game. I’m from California. I’ve been going to Laker games since I was a kid. I’ve been going to Thunder games since they came here. I know what I’m allowed to say.”

With the problematic he-said, he-said nature of the exchange, it’s difficult to determine where the truth lies. But with Durant’s emotional homecoming, there was bound to be some sort of incident. Everyone should probably just be grateful it wasn’t anything worse than this.

(CSN Bay Area; The Oklahoman; h/t Pro Basketball Talk)