Draymond Green Explains Why NBA Refs Don’t Give Stephen Curry Fouls
Draymond Green Explains Why NBA Refs Don't Give Stephen Curry Fouls
Stephen Curry, widely regarded as one of the NBA’s greatest shooters, has consistently faced a peculiar challenge throughout his career – a lack of foul calls despite frequent contact from defenders. This issue became particularly noticeable following the Warriors’ recent defeat to the Houston Rockets, where Curry struggled to get to the free-throw line despite evident physical play against him.
According to Warriors forward Draymond Green, Curry’s reluctance to engage in theatrical displays or exaggerate contact significantly contributes to this officiating discrepancy.
“He gets penalized because he’s not a flopper. So he don’t flop to sell calls. And so it’s almost as if, ‘Oh, he’s not getting fouled’ or it don’t matter because he ain’t showing that he’s getting fouled,” Green said.
“We reward flopping and flailing and Steph does neither”@Money23Green & @BaronDavis break down why Steph doesn’t get the same whistle as other NBA superstars pic.twitter.com/ytBKGT7EZH
— The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis (@DraymondShow) April 8, 2025
Green pointed out on his podcast that the NBA’s current officiating climate tends to reward players who emphasize or embellish contact, a practice Curry has steadfastly avoided throughout his career. Despite this disadvantage in drawing fouls, Curry continues to maintain his elite level of play, though Green believes his teammate deserves more recognition from referees for the legitimate contact he endures on the court.
Jimmy Butler Speaks Out On Stephen Curry’s Struggles With Referees After Loss To Rockets
Following the Warriors’ disappointing loss to the Houston Rockets, Jimmy Butler voiced strong concerns about the officiating treatment Stephen Curry receives during games. Butler didn’t hold back his frustration, pointing out what he sees as a career-long pattern of missed calls when Curry is on the court.
“I’ve never seen an individual get fouled more than he gets fouled. To me, I think that’s astounding. It’s been happening to him his whole career,” Butler stated after the game.
The criticism comes after Curry’s unusually poor performance, where he managed just three points on 1-of-8 shooting from three-point range, along with two rebounds and eight assists. This subpar showing stands in stark contrast to the elite performances NBA fans have come to expect from the Warriors’ star.
Some analysts, including Draymond Green, have suggested that Curry’s reluctance to exaggerate contact or “flop” might contribute to this officiating pattern. Unlike some NBA stars who have mastered drawing attention to fouls, Curry typically plays through contact without theatrical displays.
The issue becomes particularly concerning as the Warriors continue their season, potentially affecting their positioning for another NBA Finals run.
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
