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A shocking video has emerged of Draymond Green punching his Golden State Warriors teammate Jordan Poole in recent practice.
Although Green’s attack on Poole was revealed earlier this week, footage of the incident did not come to light until Friday, when it was obtained by TMZ.
The team has already said Green will not be suspended and any penalties will be handled internally.
The clip shows Green exchanging words with Poole along the baseline, before hitting the chest with the smaller guard, who tries to gently push the veteran forward as concerned teammates and coaches noticed.
It was then that the 6-foot-6 Green, 32, lunged to the 6-foot-4 Poole, 23, with a right hand to the face.
The clip shows Green exchanging words with Poole along the baseline, before hitting the chest with the smaller guard, who tries to gently push the veteran forward as concerned teammates and coaches noticed.
Draymond Green sees a sucker punch Golden State Warriors teammate Jordan Poole during a recent practice session, as captured in video obtained by TMZ
Draymond Green and Jordan Poole (right) won a title together against the Celtics last June
Some spectators stepped in, while others, including reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry, watched and watched the skirmish unfold. In the end, a crowd of about six bystanders were able to separate the couple.
Poole reportedly finished practicing, so apparently he wasn’t hurt.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers later acknowledged the incident, saying, “These things happen.
“Nobody likes it,” Myers told reporters. “We don’t approve of it, but it happens.
Draymond has apologized to the team. Jordan was there in the room,” Myers continued. ‘With regard to a possible suspension, punishment, fine, we will deal with that internally.’
The cause of the fight remains a bit of a mystery.
One report claimed that teammates were upset that Poole had talked incessantly about building a pool on his property and that the joke eventually landed on Green, but Curry has since called that theory “absolute BS.”
Draymond Green sits on the bench with head coach Steve Kerr and general manager Bob Myers during a 2019 Golden State Warriors practice at Oracle Arena in Oakland
Myers, talking to reporters, had no specific answer to offer.
“That question was asked, ‘Was this something out of line that was said?'” Myers said. “The answer I heard was, ‘No, it was just normal bickering within a scrimmage.’
Both Green and Poole are eligible for lucrative contract extensions from the cash-strapped Warriors, who are trying to reduce the already sky-high luxury tax.
Head coach Steve Kerr contradicted several internet rumors by insisting Poole has not developed an ego over his impending contract extension.
‘All I will say is Jordan’ [Poole’s attitude] The whole camp has been fantastic,” Kerr told reporters on Thursday.
Myers also said the incident did not affect negotiations with Poole, but Green could be more expendable.
Players and coaches have had run-ins with Green, including Kerr (right). During a 2019 game, Kerr appeared to be saying to an assistant, “I’m so fucking tired of Dramond’s s***.” When given the chance to clarify what he had said, Kerr downplayed the incident with a joke. “No, the lip readers were wrong,” he told reporters. “What I said was, ‘I don’t agree with Draymond’s approach tonight.’ Those were my exact words. I don’t know how anyone got that wrong’
Now in his 10th season, he has taken four NBA titles in last June’s Finals win over Boston. The problem is that he has occasionally bumped heads with teammates, such as an infamous on-field argument with Kevin Durant in 2017, and even head coach Steve Kerr has been caught complaining about the former Defensive Player of the Year.
During a 2019 game, Kerr appeared to be saying to a member of his staff, “I’m so damn tired of Dramond’s s***.”
When given the chance to clarify what he had said, Kerr downplayed the incident with a joke.
“No, the lip readers were wrong,” he told reporters. “What I said was, ‘I don’t agree with Draymond’s approach tonight.’ Those were my exact words. I don’t know how anyone got that wrong.’
Kerr did admit that he and Green had a private conversation about the case afterward.
Green certainly has a reputation as a puncher and has been caught swinging at opponents’ genitals several times, including once in the 2016 NBA Finals when he punched LeBron James on the groin. Green was eventually suspended for the next game.
“Jordan Poole was caught sleeping because he didn’t think Draymond would hit a man above the waist,” former Slam reporter Ryan Jones joked on Twitter.
Green certainly has a reputation as a puncher and has been caught swinging at opponents’ genitals several times, including once in the 2016 NBA Finals when he punched LeBron James on the groin. Green was eventually suspended for the next game
On Thursday, Myers defended Green by saying he made up for it in the past when he crossed a line.
“He’ll tell you he’s crossed that line, but he always comes back,” Myers said. ‘Nobody says they don’t want him around…but [Wednesday] was not a good time. … I don’t think he likes to put himself in these places. He’s in one, but I think he’ll find a way to win back the respect of his teammates and Jordan.”
While Green may not get suspended, there could be a league-wide fallout after the video of the incident was leaked.
John Hollinger, former NBA director and current Athletic employee, joked that teams will not make the same mistake as the Warriors by capturing the punch.
“That sound you just heard?” Hollinger tweeted. “That was every team that has automatic practice court cameras in their facility that sound an alarm for an urgent mandatory staff meeting.”
John Hollinger, former NBA chief and current Athletic employee, joked that teams will not make the same mistake as the Warriors by taking the punch.