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In a recent interview with Andscape, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green spoke about his attempts to reengage with his teammates, particularly after the passing of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević in January. In the conversation with Marc J. Spears, Green was candid about how his relationship with his teammates became distant. He attributed it to three factors: being a family man, his experience as an NBA veteran, and the aftermath of his altercation with Jordan Poole.
“A couple years ago, man, I really distanced myself. And I had to. I needed to. When that incident happened [with Poole], I just really needed to. So, I really distanced myself. And in doing that, you miss a lot. But once you do that it’s hard to come back,” he told Spears in the interview.
Green and Poole got into a verbal altercation during a practice session held prior to the 2022 NBA Season. Green then punched Poole, causing a surge of media attention and discourse that escaped the sports ecosystem. The four-time NBA champion voluntarily stepped away from the team immediately following the incident and only received a fine.
But, Green readily admits that the incident prompted a disconnect from the team and he even mentions that his teammates felt it as well.
“It just become a mindset and it becomes everybody else’s mindset, right? ‘Oh, we’re going to see him here but probably not there.’ And I missed that s—, man. That’s always what kept me going.”
The Poole altercation wasn't the only thing that caused Draymond Green to distance himself from the team. He's become a media mogul, launching and maintaining his own podcast The Draymond Green Show in partnership with the Colin Cowherd-owned podcast company “The Volume” and became a contributor to TNT Sports's NBA coverage.
“Yes. And family. A lot changed,” Green told Spears. “And when those things are changing, you go through something like that, you end up distancing yourself further. I was already distancing myself naturally. I got four kids. I’m trying to build a business and all the things naturally. Then [Poole] happened and I’m like, ‘I really just gotta do my own thing, stay to the side, stay out the way.’ I’m not sure that was the right thing either.
He continued, “But during when it was going on, that’s what feels right. Hindsight is 20/20. We always look at something like, ‘If I would’ve knew this then, I would’ve did X.’ So, at that time that’s what felt right to me. I can’t sit here and tell you that it was right. But what I can tell you is that ain’t the right thing for me personally. I’m not a loner by any stretch of the imagination. I don’t know how people do that.”
Following the situations that Green has been engaged in the past two years, he looks to have a changed mindset going into a new season.
“Get back, set a reminder for everybody personally and obviously as a team. But a little reminder for everybody: We’re still here. Enjoy the year. Have fun. I always say I’m closer to the end than I am in the beginning. I just want to have fun.”
While he says he was having fun before, he emphasized to Spears that he wants to enjoy every moment of the process.
“And so, for me, just enjoying a lot more of the moments in between, not even necessarily the game. I always enjoy playing the game of basketball. After a while it just become like, ‘Oh, another flight. Another practice.’ But for me, no that’s another opportunity to enjoy it and have fun. So, for me that’s an emphasis.”
The Warriors tip off the regular season on October 23rd with a matchup against the Portland Trailblazers.
