The 2025–26 NBA season hasn’t started the way Los Angeles Lakers fans had hoped. After dropping five of their six preseason games, expectations were already tempered but there was still optimism that things would turn around once the real games began.
However that optimism took another hit as the Lakers fell to the Golden State Warriors (119–109) in their regular-season opener. And while the spotlight was supposed to be on Luka Dončić’s gameplay if we see it was Draymond Green’s postgame comments that quickly stole the show.
What Did Draymond Green Say Regarding Luka Dončić and LeBron James?
During his postgame interview, Green was asked about the absence of Lakers superstar LeBron James, who sat out due to a lingering sciatica issue on his right side.
Green, without any hesitation, brought up Dončić and acknowledged the young star’s brilliance before making it crystal clear where he stood in the never-ending comparison between Dončić and James.
“Obviously, we’ve had battles with Luka as well. Luka is an incredible player. But Bron is Bron, you know. And the battles that we’ve had over the years, you look forward to those… So it’s really odd not seeing him out there,” said Green during the interview.
“I have the utmost respect for ultimate competitors, and I have the utmost respect for alphas.”
Draymond Green on why he clicks so well with Jimmy Butler III 💯
Green: team-high 9 AST
Butler: team-high 31 PTS pic.twitter.com/IJFlNwqtni— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2025
It was a classic Green moment as the comments were unfiltered, honest, and deeply respectful toward his long-time rival. And truthfully, it’s easy to understand why Green referred to Dončić as an “incredible player.”
Dončić was sensational against the Warriors as he led all scorers with 43 points. He added 12 rebounds and nine assists. By the end of the third quarter, Dončić had already piled up 35 points, 10 boards, and five assists. But despite his individual performance, the Lakers trailed 90–79 when they entered the final period and ultimately lost.
Moreover, his stat line was historic. It was because he became only the second player in Lakers history to record at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a season opener, but still he couldn’t prevent the defeat.
The Lakers struggled early as they trailed by six after the first quarter and one at halftime. Things unraveled in the third when the Warriors exploded to a 17-point lead. Though the Lakers made a late push behind Dončić’s fourth-quarter surge, the gap proved too wide.
Still, even with Dončić’s monster performance, fans couldn’t help but speculate that if James had played, would the outcome have been different? Many believe so, and even head coach JJ Redick subtly echoed that sentiment after the game.
“Oftentimes when you are playing without one of your best guys, it’s not necessarily right at the beginning of the season,” said Redick during the postgame interview.
Moreover, it’s important to remember the context behind Green’s comment. Ever since Dončić joined the Lakers this offseason, comparisons to James have been unavoidable.
The narrative has long painted Dončić as “the next LeBron”. He is the player who is expected to carry the Lakers into a new era of dominance when James eventually steps aside. In this context, Green’s remarks can be seen as both a nod of respect to Dončić and a firm reminder of James’ unmatched greatness.
Now with one game down in the regular season, the Lakers will turn their focus to the Minnesota Timberwolves next.
