LeBron James drops 4-word birthday shoutout for Draymond Green’s 35th

From two fierce competitors on the court to two great friends off the court, LeBron James and Draymond Green are leaving a blueprint for the new age of a balance in friendship and competition in sports. When Green turned 34 on Tuesday, the LA Lakers star had good wishes for his "frival" on his social media.

James reposted a post by Paul Rivera, the creator of the Emmy Award-winning show "The Shop," on his Instagram story. The poster showed Green and James posing for a picture with Rivera.

"Happy Gday my brother!!!! 🫡 @money23green," James wrote.

[Picture Credit: IG/@kingjames]

While it is easy for the fans to see LeBron James and Draymond Green sharing cordial moments on the courtside or away from basketball games, they have a long history of fierce rivalry.

Green and James competed against each other in four consecutive NBA Finals, spanning one of the greatest eras of NBA basketball. Of those four, Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors won three, with James winning in 2016.

Moreover, even now when they are on the court, Green and James haven't stopped competing like true rivals, and perhaps the last game between the Warriors and the Lakers was a testament to that. LeBron James trolled Green when he missed a free throw.

Draymond Green highlights LeBron James' greatness, compares playing against him to young NBA players

LeBron James playing chess moves on the basketball court is an old narrative. By now, almost every player and coach in the league knows that the four-time NBA champion has always relied more on his brain despite his god-gifted athleticism.

From moving his players on baseline and forcing screens to get the best matchup for him and his teammates, James' cerebral part of the game is still unmatched in the league.

Criticizing how modern NBA players are relying more on athleticism and 3-point shots, Warriors star Draymond Green highlighted why playing against LeBron James felt more "refreshing" and competitive.

"Every possession was some type of chess move. You don’t get that anymore often. ... Every now and again you get a matchup like that, but you don't just get that one a regular basis. It's just who can run faster, who can get more 3s. There's no substance. So, I think it's very boring."

What is ironic about Green's comment is that his Warriors were responsible for changing the style of the NBA games. With two of the greatest shooters on the team, the Warriors were able to beat James three out of four times. As per CBS Sports, multiple teams this season are taking at least 40 3-point shots per game.