
“It Destroyed Our Team”: Steve Kerr Reflects on Draymond Green-Jordan Poole Incident’s Lasting Impact
In a candid revelation on September 17, 2025, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr admitted that the leaked footage of Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole during a 2022 practice was a pivotal factor in derailing the team’s chances of repeating as NBA champions in the 2022-23 season. Speaking at a coaching seminar, Kerr’s remarks shed light on a tumultuous chapter in the Warriors’ dynasty, one that fractured team chemistry and altered the franchise’s trajectory. The incident, which occurred in October 2022, became a defining moment for the Warriors, exposing vulnerabilities in their locker room and challenging Kerr’s leadership. This article explores the context of the incident, its immediate and long-term consequences, fan reactions, and the Warriors’ efforts to move forward in the aftermath.
The Incident: A Punch Heard Around the NBA
The Golden State Warriors entered the 2022 offseason riding high after their 2022 NBA Finals victory over the Boston Celtics, their fourth championship in eight years. With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and rising star Jordan Poole leading the charge, the Warriors were poised to defend their title. However, a shocking incident during a training camp practice on October 5, 2022, disrupted the team’s momentum. During a heated exchange, Draymond Green, a four-time All-Star and defensive anchor, punched teammate Jordan Poole, knocking him to the ground. The altercation, initially kept in-house, became a global headline when video footage was mysteriously leaked to TMZ on October 7, 2022.
The leaked video, which captured Green’s aggressive lunge and the punch that floored Poole, sent shockwaves through the NBA. Fights between teammates are not uncommon in the high-intensity world of professional basketball, but the public exposure of this incident was unprecedented. Kerr, who had experienced a similar altercation as a player when Michael Jordan punched him during a 1995 Chicago Bulls practice, initially believed he could manage the situation internally. “I’ve been through this before,” Kerr said at the seminar. “Fights happen. There’s usually two or three fights a year on our team, in basketball. It’s not like the normal rules of society. You can kind of do that and it’s okay.” However, the public release of the footage changed everything, amplifying the incident’s impact and making reconciliation far more challenging.
Immediate Fallout: A Fractured Locker Room
The leaked video thrust the Warriors into a media firestorm, overshadowing their preparations for the 2022-23 season. Kerr acknowledged that while he was confident in his ability to mend the relationship between Green and Poole, the public scrutiny made it “insurmountable.” “It destroyed our team,” Kerr admitted. “The video was much more difficult than the fight itself, and we were trying to repair that all season long and we never really were able to.” The footage not only damaged the trust between Green and Poole but also strained the team’s overall chemistry, as players were forced to address questions about the incident repeatedly.
Green, who publicly apologized for the punch on the Pivot Podcast in June 2023, acknowledged the “serious damage” he caused to his relationship with Poole. He expressed a desire to move forward but recognized that the incident had lasting repercussions. Poole, meanwhile, remained with the Warriors for the 2022-23 season, averaging 20.4 points per game, but his performance was inconsistent, and the team’s dynamics never fully recovered. The Warriors finished the season with a 44-38 record, a far cry from their championship form, and were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals by the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
The incident also had financial and roster implications. Poole, who had signed a four-year, $128 million extension in October 2022, was traded to the Washington Wizards in July 2023 as part of a deal that brought Chris Paul to Golden State. The trade was widely seen as a move to separate Green and Poole, as their relationship remained strained despite efforts to move past the incident. The Warriors’ front office, led by owner Joe Lacob, faced criticism for their handling of the situation, with some fans and analysts arguing that the team should have imposed stricter consequences on Green.
Long-Term Consequences: A Dynasty Disrupted
The Draymond Green-Jordan Poole incident marked a turning point for the Warriors’ dynasty. The team’s core of Curry, Thompson, and Green had defied expectations by winning the 2022 championship, but the punch and its aftermath exposed underlying tensions. The 2022-23 season was marred by inconsistency, with the Warriors struggling on the road (11-30 away record) and failing to replicate their previous defensive intensity. The incident also contributed to a perception that the Warriors’ championship window was closing, especially as Thompson’s contract negotiations faltered, leading to his departure to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 offseason.
Kerr’s admission in 2025 underscores the long-term impact of the leaked footage. “We were trying to repair that all season long and we never really were able to,” he said, highlighting the difficulty of rebuilding trust in a high-pressure environment. The incident also affected Green’s reputation, as his aggressive behavior drew scrutiny, culminating in a five-game suspension in November 2023 for choking Rudy Gobert and a 12-game suspension in December 2023 for striking Jusuf Nurkić. These incidents, combined with the Poole punch, painted Green as a volatile figure, prompting questions about his role in the Warriors’ future.
For Poole, the trade to Washington offered a fresh start, but his tenure with the Wizards has been challenging. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 18.2 points per game but struggled with efficiency, shooting 41.2% from the field. The trade also marked the end of Poole’s promising trajectory with the Warriors, where he had been seen as a potential heir to Curry’s role in the backcourt. The incident’s ripple effects continue to shape both players’ careers and the Warriors’ roster construction.
Fan Reactions: Shock, Frustration, and Reflection
Warriors fans, known for their passionate engagement on platforms like X, reacted strongly to Kerr’s 2025 comments, reigniting discussions about the incident. Many expressed frustration over the team’s inability to overcome the fallout. One X user posted, “Kerr saying the Draymond-Poole video ‘destroyed our team’ hurts to hear. We were so close to another ring, and that leak ruined everything.” Another fan wrote, “Draymond’s punch was bad, but the leak was worse. Whoever did that cost us a dynasty.” These sentiments reflect the fanbase’s belief that the public exposure of the incident was more damaging than the act itself.
Others directed criticism at Green, with one user stating, “Draymond’s gotta take accountability. That punch changed the whole vibe of the team. We haven’t been the same since.” However, some fans defended Green, arguing that teammate altercations are part of the game. “Fights happen in the NBA. Kerr said it himself—2-3 fights a year. The real issue was the leak, not Draymond,” one
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