Why Draymond Green ‘hated and absolutely loved’ Wembley’s MVP brag

Recently, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama made headlines by publicly staking his claim for the league MVP award following his team's win over the Miami Heat. It was another dominant performance for the Spurs in their win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday evening.

Vembanyama's public plea caused a stir in the NBA social media world, and most recently, the Golden State Warriors power forward weighed in on the controversy.

X, formerly on Twitter According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, Green said, "I hate it... and I love it."

Green also spoke on Wembanyama's proclamation regarding his impact on the defensive end of the floor.

"Wemby said, 'Defense is 50% of the game,' and it was like, oh, nobody realized that?" Green said. “Has no one realized that 50% of the game we play happens on that end of the floor?”

Wembanyama became one of the best defenders in the league the moment he stepped onto an NBA floor and has continued to expand that part of his game since then.

While his block numbers remain specific, Wembanyama also prevents players from attempting shots that they could have made against another team on a nightly basis.

Meanwhile, on offense, Vembanyama is having the best season of his career in 2025-26, cutting down on three-point attempts and terrorizing opponents around the basket, while maintaining solid efficiency from the field, and improving his facilitation skills.

All of this, combined with the Spurs' elite record, is leading some to wonder whether Wembanyama would have emerged as a true MVP candidate in his third season, and it appears that other players, including Green, have mixed feelings on Wembanyama's advocacy for themselves.