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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green’s relationship with former teammate Jordan Poole ended on rocky terms. The two won an NBA Championship together in 2022, but just a year later, Poole was headed to the East Coast.
In the offseason that followed that title, Poole landed a massive new contract worth more than $100 million. That came after a monster postseason where he averaged 17 points a night to provide the Warriors with another legitimate scoring threat.
Draymond Green wasn’t exactly thrilled with the way he handled his newfound fame.
He reportedly called him a b—- for the way he dealt with those contract negotiations, believing him to have carried himself with a sense of cockiness after that playoff run.
It’s also worth noting that Green was also seeking an extension with Golden State around the same time.
The breaking point in the relationship came when Green sucker punched Poole at practice before the start of the season. Things soured thereafter.
While Jordan Poole played his 2022-23 season out in California, he’d soon be dealt to Washington DC. Draymond Green recently opened up about the situation on his podcast.
“I took JP under my wing, and to see him have success, it was the best thing for me. One of the worst feelings I’ve ever had as an NBA player was seeing him get a contract and knowing that I f—ed it off and I couldn’t celebrate his contract with him. I think he had a party or something with people in San Francisco, and to not be able to go celebrate that with him [hurt].”
That remorse differed from his initial response to the situation. Tensions reportedly never went away, and they had a major impact on the season as a whole. Now, he’s putting it in the past and accepting responsibility.
Draymond Green seems to be making amends for his role in the break-up. It might be too little, too late for Poole.