In 2022, Draymond Green was involved in an altercation with then-teammate Jordan Poole at practice prior to the start of the 2022-23 NBA season. At the time, the Golden State Warriors were fresh off a championship win the previous season.
Now, in a leaked video from 2021, during the Warriors’ 2021-22 season that saw them win the title, Green put Jordan Poole on notice. In a heated exchange that took place during a timeout, Green’s teammates held him back from Poole.
The leaked footage hit X, formerly known as Twitter, this week, with NBA fans quick to weigh in.
“He stood on business bout that” – One joked
“Bruh and he wasn’t lying…” – Another wrote
“The beginning of the end. Can’t believe this uncivilized loser hasn’t been ostracized by the league yet” – One wrote
Other fans took aim at Draymond Green, criticizing him for his antics:
“draymond the best and worst thing to happen to the warriors” – One wrote
“Damn bro… he can’t keep his cool” – Another added
“draymond was always the problem” – One explained
Looking back at how Draymond Green and Jordan Poole reacted in the wake of their altercation
Many wondered what Draymond Green and Jordan Poole’s practice altercation meant for the Warriors going forward. While the team was looking to go back-to-back in the NBA Finals, the altercation created a rift within the franchise.
Questions about whether the two could coexist immediately popped up when Golden State followed through with signing Poole to a four-year, $128 million deal, with theories that Green would depart the team the following summer gaining traction.
To make matters worse, footage of the incident was leaked online, further putting the situation in the spotlight ahead of a big season for Golden State.
For his part, Jordan Poole opened up on the matter while speaking with media members in mid-October, before the start of the 2022-23 regular season.
“He apologized and we’re planning to handle it ourselves that way. We’re gonna play basketball and everybody in the locker room on our team knows what it takes to win a championship. We’re gonna do that on the court. That’s really all I have to say on the matter.”
On the flip side, Draymond Green took some time away from the team, explaining that if he was in a better position mentally, he wouldn’t have acted out the way he did.
This summer, when looking back at the incident, Green expressed his regret, saying that after taking Poole under his wing, not being able to celebrate his success was something that bothered him.
After the 2022-23 season, Draymond wound up staying in Golden State. On the flip side, Poole was traded to the Washington Wizards.