"From a human being standpoint, from a personal standpoint, I have some things to fix" - Draymond Green asserts his melee with Jordan Poole won't affect Dubs' performances
The reigning champions, the Golden State Warriors, found themselves in hot water after a video showing Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole was leaked by TMZ after Shams Charania, Anthony Slater, and Marcus Thompson reported an altercation between the two with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski adding that Green threw a punch at Poole.
Steve Kerr and Draymond Green addressed the media in a press-conference on the matter after the leak. While Kerr stressed the importance of privacy and dealing with such matters within the walls of the organization, Green expressed his remorse and apologized for his actions.
With Jordan Poole having been a key part of the team that won the NBA championship in 2022, many focused on how the altercation would affect the basketball dynamic of the team, and how it would affect winning.
On the same Green stated:
"Nothing. We're professionals, we have a job to do and we're winners. And winners win. Winners find a way to win. I have been a winner my entire life, I am going to find a way to win. Now, that's from a winner's standpoint.
"From a human being standpoint, from a personal standpoint, I have some things to fix.
"I am going to fix those things, I am going to take a few days away because, quite frankly, if I'm being honest, it's hard for me to walk up to Jordan right now.
Draymond Green called it “bullshit” that the video leaked but said he watched it “15 times” and agreed how bad it looked
Full soundbite https://t.co/kcUb4y3jC0
"Like I said, I'll take some time, work through my things, allow him and this team to work through their things, seperate of me, because their will be a time to work through those things with me, I look forward to those times.
"As far as winning goes, we've been through some s**t to win at the level we've won at. Some of those public but a lot more private."
Draymond Green's actions reiterate that the weight of the Warriors, on and off the court, inevitably falls on Stephen Curry
While Curry might not be the most vocal or expressive of the leaders, the respect players on the team seem to hold for Curry should be enough to deem him the leader, but with Green's vocal and outward leadership, many seem to give way to the idea that Green is the spiritual leader.
However, what has transpired between Jordan Poole and Draymond Green shows us that the Warriors will always remain Steph's team. Spiritual, actual, on-court or off-court, Stephen Curry is inevitably the one who is called upon when things go awry.
In an instance where Draymond Green was at fault, Curry was called upon to answer. In fact, during Durant's tenure with the Dubs, Curry often acted as a mediator when things heated up between Green and Durant.
“Steph is not the leader of the warriors” just read the quotes from the players https://t.co/O3CWbIP1dc