Draymond Green apologizes to Jordan Poole, says he will be away from team
Golden State forward Draymond Green apologized publicly to teammate Jordan Poole after he punched Poole during practice and added he would be stepping away from the team for a few days to "heal."
The Warriors forward already had apologized to his teammates earlier this week after a video published by TMZ showed Green walking up to Poole and Poole shoving the four-time All-Star. Green then punched Poole and teammates immediately broke up the scuffle.
"I was wrong for my actions that took place on Wednesday," Green said during a news conference Saturday. "I failed as a leader."
"There's a huge embarrassment that comes from (the video) not only for myself as I was the one that committed the action. But the embarrassment that Jordan has to deal with, the team and organization has to deal with but also Jordan's family," said Green, who maintained the fight had nothing to do with Poole and his possible contract extension with the Warriors.
"I can assure you I don't count other people's pockets," Green said.
The Warriors said before the video surfaced that they would handle whatever punishment was coming to Green internally.
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"It's unfortunate, I'm not going to deny it," general manager Bob Myers said this week. "It'll take some time to move through, but we'll move through it and move forward. And I'm confident that we will. ... This isn't our first thing that's happened, first sense of adversity. We've been through some of this before. Don't like going through it but it's part of the NBA and it's part of sports."
Green then explained how he was dealing with the backlash, especially from the NBA community.
“Hurt people hurt people," Green said. "I hurt someone because I was in a place of hurt.”
The Warriors said they are investigating how the video of the fight was leaked.
“I thought it was (expletive) that it leaked," said Green, who won't play in Sunday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Warriors open defense of their NBA championship Oct. 18, also against the Lakers.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Draymond Green apologizes to Jordan Poole, leaves Warriors to 'heal'
