NEW ORLEANS — In a recent match, Draymond Green, forward for the Golden State Warriors, found himself in an intense standoff with a fan during their game against the Pelicans.
The fan, Sam Green, aged 35 and from New Orleans, sported a Pelicans polo shirt while heckling Draymond after he got called for a shooting foul against Herbert Jones.
As the atmosphere heated up with Jones preparing to shoot free throws, Draymond walked right up to the fan, standing just a few inches away. They exchanged words, with the fan throwing his arms open wide in response.
It didn’t take long for officials to step in, separating the two as ushers surrounded the amused fan, seemingly unfazed by the interaction.
According to Sam, he was teasing Draymond by chanting “Angel Reese,” linking it to a string of missed shots Draymond had just taken, including five consecutive misses followed by his recovery of the initially missed rebounds.
“He kept calling me a woman,” Draymond explained to the press afterward, elaborating that the fan was throwing insults related to a woman’s name.
While every player appreciates banter, Draymond expressed that there’s a limit: “It was all fun at first, but you can’t just keep calling me a woman. I have four kids, and another on the way. It’s not something I can just brush off.”
Things escalated, with Sam claiming Draymond used profanity and even issued a threat to punch him if the chants continued. “I didn’t curse, and for him to come right up to me like that was kind of unsettling,” Sam mentioned, adding that security had warned him, but he was allowed to keep his seat in the front row.
Draymond remarked, “At first, he was talking, but once I got closer, he didn’t say much. It’s all good; we move on.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr noted in his post-game chat that he couldn’t comment much because he wasn’t fully aware of what had gone down. “As long as it doesn’t blow up, it’s okay for players to chat with fans,” he said. “It would’ve been better if security had acted faster.”
This isn’t the first time Draymond has made headlines for his fiery on-court persona. He’s known not only for his intense play but also for racking up fines and technical fouls for interactions with fans. Just last year, he received a $25,000 fine from the NBA for “directing obscene language toward a fan.”
In the past, Draymond has voiced his concerns over fan behavior, arguing that fans often face little punishment for their words while players bear the consequences of engaging with them.
Contribution to this report by ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
