Following a tumultuous 2022-2023 season, the Golden State Warriors have been under the spotlight for a series of controversies that seem to have impacted the team's performance on the court. The latest development in the ongoing saga involves Warriors power forward Draymond Green, who recently engaged in a social media showdown with Jordan Poole's father, Anthony Poole, over last year's infamous punching incident.
Green, who recently signed a four-year, $100 million extension with the Warriors, appeared on NBA player Patrick Beverley's podcast, where he discussed the altercation. In the interview, Green alluded to some events leading up to the punch, stating, "I don't just hit people. Dialogue happens over time. You ain't just triggered by something that fast to that degree. This is a team, ain't nobody on my team triggering me in an instant. We know stuff that you don't say amongst men. We know things you have to stand on."
"I don't just hit people. ... Dialogue of course happens over time and you usually ain't just triggered by something that fast. ... We know stuff you don't say amongst men."
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 19, 2023
Draymond speaks on the Jordan Poole incident 👀
(via @PatBevPod) pic.twitter.com/0ZsVuuRTSz
Anthony Poole, Jordan's father, took issue with Green's words and fired back on Twitter, resulting in a heated exchange between the two. Poole's father called Green "soft" and claimed he never apologized to him or his wife. Green responded with a dismissive tweet, calling Poole's reaction "cute" and denying that he avoided Anthony Poole throughout the season.
That’s so cute… it’s impossible to avoid you an arena for a year champ. I got get my family from that family room every game. And stop using those words, they usually don’t go over well amongst men.
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) July 19, 2023
The tension surrounding last year's conflict between Green and Poole seems to have been a contributing factor to the Warriors' struggles during the season, ultimately leading to Poole's trade to the Washington Wizards for Chris Paul. Following the trade, many believe that Green's punch set a negative tone for the rest of the season, which saw the Warriors getting eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Warriors have since acknowledged their lack of cohesion during the season. Head coach Steve Kerr, in his end-of-season exit interview, openly admitted that there was a loss of trust within the team. He stressed the importance of regaining that trust in order to return to the successful formula that had previously carried the Warriors to championship glory as stated in the same Bleacher Report article.
Green's social media altercation with Poole's father has reignited public interest in the team's inner conflicts leading up to Poole's trade. While details of the altercation remain scarce, the Warriors' acknowledgment of their shortcomings highlights the need for the team to put the past behind them and focus on rebuilding trust and chemistry in the future.
