Draymond admits Poole’s hit was one of ‘biggest failures’ as Warriors veteran originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green learned how to be a better veteran from his previous failures, like the Jordan Poole incident.
The Warriors superstar explained how he approaches interacting with Golden State’s younger players.
“I’ve always been a guy that, no matter what, if someone is younger than me, I always want to collaborate with them,” Green told Penny Hardaway on the show. “Two Cent Podcast”. “And I will say that I was thrust into the role of veterinarian before I was ready to handle it, before I knew what it took to handle it. And I failed miserably.
“One of my biggest failures as a veterinarian was what happened with Jordan Poole. It took me going through that failure with Jordan Poole, who was someone who came in and chose his locker to be next to me because he wanted to learn from me. (He) was someone I spent time with and poured myself into, and I screwed up everything.”
Green Poole infamously hit in the face during a preseason practice in 2022, creating a fragile situation that lasted throughout the 2022-23 season.
Golden State eventually traded Poole to the Washington Wizards on July 6, 2023. The coup derailed the warriors, which remains green to this day.
“I’ve never felt so miserable in my life,” Green told Hardaway. “So, that was one of my biggest failures. He taught me a lot; “He showed me how to be a better vet for Jonathan Kuminga, how to be a better vet for Moses Moody, but I had to go through that to learn.”
Known for his intense and physical style of play, Green has gotten into many altercations during his time in the NBA. As one of the pillars of Golden State’s dynastic streak of four NBA Finals wins and six championship appearances over the past decade, the 34-year-old is a key veteran presence on a team struggling with consistency.
While the Warriors have shown flashes of brilliance at times, they are currently mired in a mediocre stretch of play. At 15-14, Golden State is on the fringes of playoff contention in the competitive Western Conference.
Green will need to continue mentoring the team’s younger players to give Golden State any chance of making the postseason.
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