Warriors star Draymond Green offered his first public comments Saturday as he addressed his altercation with teammate Jordan Poole during Wednesday’s practice after video of the incident leaked Friday morning.
Speaking with reporters at an impromptu press conference, Green issued an 11-minute opening statement during which he apologized to Poole, his loved ones, their teammates and the Warriors organization for his actions.
“I was wrong for my actions that took place on Wednesday, and for that, I have apologized to my team, I have apologized to Jordan,” Green said.
“There’s a huge embarrassment that comes with that, not only for myself, … but the embarrassment that Jordan has to deal with and that this team has to deal with, that this organization has to deal with but and also Jordan’s family. His family saw that video, his mother, his father saw that video and, quite frankly, if my mother saw that, I know how my mother would feel. I know what her next step would be, and so for that, I apologize to his mother and his father, his family, his friends that care for him.”
Green, 32, has faced heavy public scrutiny since TMZ Sports shared an audio-less clip of the moment he approached Poole and bumped chests with the 23-year-old in the midst of a heated exchange during practice. Poole quickly responded by pushing Green before the veteran forward punched him in the face, prompting teammates to jump in and separate the two following a brief scuffle. The stunning video surfaced less than two days after details of the altercation were first reported; Golden State has since launched an investigation into how TMZ obtained the video.
In regards to what factors may have contributed to the fight, Green shared Saturday that he was in a “very, very bad space mentally” leading up to the altercation but acknowledged he must now focus on the process he will now embark on of rebuilding trust with Poole and the rest of his teammates. He also said he understands that he’s created a “dark cloud” because of the incident but plans to “do what I have to do to make that right” for all involved.
Green, who described himself as a “very flawed human being,” said that he plans to focus on self-improvement after sharing he’s been dealing with a few things in his personal life. In an effort to better hone in on his personal growth, the four-time NBA champion announced he plans to “take a few days or whatever that is and just continue to work on myself and think about the things that I need to think about.”
“I’m going to continue to stay away as I’ve been away and continue to do work on myself as I always like to do. But also just to give guys space, that’s a big deal,” Green said. “It’s not like, you just, keep on pushing, and the reality is there is no right or wrong time.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr later told reporters the decision for Green to step away from the team for an undisclosed amount of time was “mutual” after discussions between the four-time All-Star and team officials, per NBA insider Marc Stein.
It remains unclear at this time if Green will play against the Lakers in the season opener on Oct. 18. The Warriors are also slated to receive their 2022 NBA championship rings during a pre-game ceremony that same night.
“Yeah, I expect to play. Will I play? That’s a different story,” Green said when asked the possibility of suiting up in 10 days. “It’s something we will figure out…What the answer is is to feel our way through this.”
As Golden State continues to prepare for the 2022–23 season, Green’s absence combined with the aftermath of the video will continue to linger over the club for the foreseeable future. In regards to where things stand with his relationship with Poole, Green explained that they had a “very good personal relationship” prior to the incident, and he understands that that bond may take time to heal.
He also firmly denied reports stating the fight stemmed from Poole’s ongoing contract talks. The 2019 first-round pick out of Michigan is coming off a breakout ’21-’22 season, and is eligible for a lucrative extension as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
“That’s on me to do the work to rebuild but on his time,” Green said. “When he, if he ever wants to do that. I think that is a personal choice for Jordan and I have to accept whatever comes with that.”
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