Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George shared his perspective on the apparent feud between Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero and Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray following their recent headlines.
The drama unfolded at the Zeke-End Pro-Am when Banchero seemed to accidentally knock Murray to the floor while making a play for the ball.
Murray took offense to the incident and then proceeded to walk towards Banchero and make contact with him.
Later in the game, Murray executed a powerful one-handed slam dunk over Banchero.
He baited Banchero into the air, tossed the ball off the backboard to himself, and slammed it down. Murray then taunted Banchero with a “too small” gesture before passing the ball back to him.
Murray maintained a confrontational attitude towards Banchero whenever they faced off on the court after that.
The persistent trash-talking from Murray did not seem to affect the top draft pick.
The exchange continued on Instagram after the game.
Paolo Banchero and Dejounte Murray engaging on IG? pic.twitter.com/NlWCI6UTMG
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) August 8, 2022
Amidst the basketball world’s offseason lull, the widely discussed feud dominated social media, with fans and even players sharing their thoughts.
George, in a statement during his Twitch stream, provided his reaction as reported by Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.
“Entertaining stuff, that Orlando-Atlanta clash, featuring Paolo and Dejounte (expletive). Knowing they hail from the same city and area, I’m pretty sure it’s all in good spirits for the love of the game.”
The upcoming encounters between the two players this season will surely attract additional interest.
Being in the same division, the Magic and Hawks square off four times a season, giving fans numerous opportunities to witness Banchero and Murray in action.
While the feisty exchanges might have been exaggerated, they certainly provided fans with something to follow during the NBA’s quieter period.
It remains to be seen if this rivalry will carry over into the next season.
Meanwhile, Paul George aims to rebound from a disappointing season that saw him and his star teammate Kawhi Leonard sidelined with injuries.
Image Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / shutterstock
