"I don't talk about guys' family" - Draymond Green reacts to Luka Doncic-Goga Bitadze heated exchange
When wielded a certain way, trash talk can become an effective weapon on the hardwood floor. Saying the right things at the right time could rile an opponent up, throwing him off his game and benefiting the other team.
Many NBA legends mastered this tactic. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Gary Payton stand out. No one wanted to go to battle with them, knowing it was a verbal war they could not win.
However, when it comes to talking smack, an unwritten rule is to keep families and loved ones out of it — a rule that seemingly was broken by Orlando Magic big man Goga Bitadze last weekend when he antagonized Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic .
"He would f–ck my whole family," Doncic revealed of what Bitadze told him, which prompted him to confront the latter. "At some point, I just can’t stand that. I got to stand up for myself."
On his podcast, Draymond Green — one of the best trash talkers of this era — addressed the incident, saying he doesn't blame Doncic for what he did, as he would have done the same if he had heard the same things being said about his family.
A line that must not be crossed
Elite trash-talkers are creative with their barbs, often pointing out glaring flaws in a player's game to touch their pride and get them to do things they usually don't. However, everybody in professional sports knows the code: talk about everything else except family — a principle that Green undoubtedly adheres to.
"Number one, I don’t talk about people's family. I talk a lot of s—t on the basketball court. You can ask a lot of guys the things that I say. I don’t talk about guys' family," he said on his podcast.
Green recalled one moment when he did do that, a mishap that he vowed never to repeat.
"I have in one instance in my career and it wasn’t about — it wasn’t about family like relationship stuff," he added. "And this guy I thought had went way over the edge and gloves came off. But I’m not one to talk about families. I don’t do that."
"I think there are certain lines you don’t cross because no one’s going to come on the court to talk about my family. That line won’t be crossed," Green continued. "So, respect Luka for standing up to that because that’s not something you back down from. Certain things shouldn’t come on the basketball court, and family is one of them."
Bitadze held himself accountable
Bitadze has been in the league for seven seasons. A 6'11" center from Georgia, he has established himself as a dependable backup who can also flourish as a starter when needed. The man has also proven himself to be tough as nails, refusing to back down against any of the NBA's best players.
However, on that occasion, he defended himself against the accusations while still holding himself accountable.
"I really respect everybody's family. Where I come from, it's really sacred and we really respect each other's families, and I would never directly say that. He just said some inappropriate things in the Serbian language, which, I played in Serbia, I understand," he clarified .
"It was just in the heat of the moment. I heard what he said, and I felt like I had to respond the same way. So, from my side, if he feels like I said something too much or crossed the line, I apologize as a man," Bitadze stressed.
Competition in the NBA is fierce, and tensions can at times boil over, leading to pointed words. Fortunately, the incident never escalated to violence, and the two parties have since moved on.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
