Draymond Green thinks Steph Curry doesn't get enough calls that go his way from the referees
In Game 2 of the Lakers vs Thunder second-round series, the Thunder defeated the Lakers 125-107. After the game, Lakers players confronted the referees, complaining about the calls that didn't go their way and were potentially missed.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn ImagesAfter the game, Lakers head coach JJ Reddick talked about the lack of calls LeBron James gets, saying he has 'the worst whistle of any star.' In the regular season, James, who is second in the NBA all-time in career free throw attempts, played 60 games and ranked 52nd in the NBA in fouls drawn against him.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green spoke about the comment on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show. "And is Steph Curry considered a star player? Cuz got nothing but love for Bron, but if Steph Curry is a star player and which I think he is, no one gets a worse whistle than Steph Curry," Green said.
Does Steph Curry Really Have a "Bad Whistle?"
Curry, who played just 43 regular-season games, drew 199 fouls, which was good for the 60th most in the NBA, tied with Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis. In the 2023-2024 regular season, he played 74 games and drew 269 fouls, which was the 36th most in the NBA.
Daniel Dunn-Imagn ImagesStephen Curry has a career free-throw percentage of 91.2, the highest among any player in league history. In his unanimous 2015-2016 MVP season, Curry drew 356 fouls, the 18th most that season.
How Does Curry Not Draw More Fouls?
The top 10 in most fouls drawn in the NBA this year features players who have a very different play style in comparison to Stephen Curry. Curry's game features more craftiness around the rim and the perimeter. He does not look for contact as much as a player like Luka Doncic or Jaylen Brown.
Other players in the top 10 most fouls drawn include Victor Wembenyama, Paolo Banchero, and Nikola Jokic. Players with bigger frames tend to get more fouls called their way compared to players like Curry. In 2015-2016, the leader in the NBA in fouls drawn was DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins drew 577 fouls, over 100 more fouls than Luka Doncic drew in the 2025-2026 season.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesWhether Curry deserves more foul calls is up in the air; the lack of physicality against him has allowed him to preserve his career even longer, and at 38 years old, many believe he can play for a few more seasons in the NBA.
One thing is for sure though, both Steph Curry and LeBron James could get a better whistle.