Getty/Harry How Kevin Durant (right), when he was a member of the Golden State Warriors.
On October 10, the Golden State Warriors took the court for the first time since the incident between their stars Jordan Poole and Draymond Green. Green announced that he would be stepping away from the team for an undisclosed amount of time in a press conference on October 8. However, Poole was in the lineup as the defending champions took on the Los Angeles Lakers.
All eyes were on the young Warriors guard to see how he would respond following the incident. Golden State got handed their first loss of the preseason, losing by a score of 124-121. But Poole’s star shined brightly as he netted a team-high 25 points, including an insane layup that caught the attention of fans on Twitter, including Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant.
“Who thinks to do some s*** like this #boynice,” Durant tweeted on October 9.
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Steve Kerr Slams Video Leak to TMZ
After initiating an altercation with Poole, a report from Shams Charania of “The Athletic” said the Warriors were considering disciplinary action against Green and would handle it internally. But on October 7, TMZ posted a video that was leaked to them showing the footage of the altercation. It changed the entire outlook on the incident.
TMZ obtained the video of the altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole at practice
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A lot has been made of the video leak. Fights between teammates are just the nature of sports, but when you are able to match a visual with the stories told, it adds an entirely different dynamic to the situation. It provides the general public with a platform to offer an opinion on a matter that should have been kept private. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says the leak is something that never should have occurred.
“In 32 years, I’ve probably seen 20-plus fights. It should not make it out of our walls,” Kerr said of the video via ESPN.
“When things are kept internally, it’s almost easy to handle. As soon as things are leaked, all hell breaks loose. That affects every single player, and coach. … It’s like if you had a camera in your family and there was a family dispute. Would you really want to discuss it with the world? No.”
Green Says He Regrets Situation With Jordan Poole
Throughout his career, Green has developed a reputation as an emotional player. It is one of his best attributes, as his emotion often inspires his teammates and puts a sense of fear into opposing teams.
But sometimes, Green fails to keep his emotions in check, which can be costly. Just ask him about the time it cost him a championship in 2016. Green says he has ‘regret’ about letting his emotions lead him to the incident with Poole.
“I like to keep my emotions to myself, but what I do want to change and what I do want to work on is how they end up coming out and how do you let them out without them coming out in a way you ultimately regret. And this is one I regret. There are not many things in life I regret,” Green said via ESPN.
“That day that took place I was in a very, very bad space mentally,” Green said. “As a leader of this team, I needed to have a better feel for myself and just know and understand where my wick’s end was and what could possibly push me the wrong way. Frankly, I didn’t handle that well and I failed as a leader. I failed as a man, and I failed as a leader.”
The Warriors have a great shot at representing the West in this year’s NBA Finals. It will be interesting to see if they can rise above this situation.