Photo Credit: Associated Press

Spartans Coach Tom Izzo To Draymond Green: “You Cry About Every Call”

Michigan State Spartans coach Tom Izzo recently visited Denver, to watch the Golden State Warriors play the Denver Nuggets.

Two of his former star players were playing against each other. Draymond Green on the Warriors side, and Gary Harris as a Nugget.

Green has often spoken about Izzo being his mentor and friend, even calling him a father figure. That’s why he closely listens to the advice the Hall of Famer has to offer. This time, after the game, Izzo criticized Green because he complains about the officiating too much.

“What are you doing? You cry about every call,” Izzo said, according to Green. “You’re worried about the wrong things.”

Unlike what he often does with officials, Green nodded in agreement.

“My relationship with him has meant a lot,” Green said of Izzo. “I can always get an unbiased opinion from somebody who really knows the game of basketball, which is special. He’s somebody that will tell me, ‘You’re wrong.’”

From Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News.

Having watched many Warriors games over the past few years, I can second Izzo’s criticism. Green does belong among the league’s biggest whiners, but therefore gets rewarded with technical fouls and ejections quite often.

We’ll see if Green accepts Izzo’s advice and will complain less in these upcoming games.