Draymond Green Sounds Off After Warriors’ Loss to Pistons: “We’re All Men - Respect Has to Go Both Ways”
SAN FRANCISCO - Draymond Green has never been one to bite his tongue, and Friday night at Chase Center was no exception. After the Warriors dropped a tough one to the Detroit Pistons, Green stood near his locker, raw and unfiltered, and let his frustrations fly - not just about the game, but about how it was officiated.
At the center of it all was a second-quarter technical foul called by veteran referee JT Orr - Green’s 10th of the season - and the exchange that led up to it. With 8:44 left in the second quarter, Green was hit with the tech after what he described as a tense back-and-forth with Orr, stemming from a replay review and a conversation that turned personal.
“I find it very ironic that I got a technical foul for telling a Caucasian referee not to put his hand in my face,” Green said. “As a Black man in America, don’t put your hand in my face.”
According to Green, the interaction escalated when Orr told him, “Draymond, this is your chance to stop talking to me.” Green responded, “Bro, don’t put your hand in my face.” That’s when, Green said, Orr gave him the tech: “Oh, tech.”
Green didn’t hold back in his postgame comments, calling the moment “insulting” and pointing to a broader issue of mutual respect between players and officials.
“Everybody wants to talk about holding the line of respect, but that line needs to be held both ways,” Green said. “If the line won’t be held both ways, it won’t be held from my way, because we’re all men and we can all make decisions and choices. So let that be the last time that happens.”
That tech puts Green at 10 on the season - six away from the automatic one-game suspension that comes with hitting 16. It’s a line he’s crossed before, most recently during the 2022-23 season when he picked up 17 technicals.
But the tension didn’t stop with the tech. Green also took issue with how Orr officiated inbounds plays, specifically pointing to a moment involving Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson. After Detroit made a basket, Thompson held onto the ball momentarily - a move Green felt was a clear delay of game.
“He told me that Ausar Thompson can hold the ball, and look to see who to give the ball to after a made basket, and he said that’s not a delay of game,” Green said, visibly frustrated. “That slows us down. That’s the whole point.”
To add to the confusion, Green pointed out that Steph Curry was called for a delay of game earlier in the contest for doing the exact same thing - catching the ball after a made bucket and looking for a teammate.
“Same referee though, JT Orr,” Green said. “Then, he’s like, ‘Oh maybe you have a point.’ No (expletive), you can’t change the rules in the middle of the game.”
Curry later exited the game in the third quarter with a sore knee, adding another layer of concern for a Warriors team that’s already been searching for consistency this season.
For Green, the night wasn’t just about a loss in the standings - it was about feeling like the rules weren’t applied evenly. And whether it’s officiating, team dynamics, or playoff hopes, when Draymond speaks, it’s rarely just about one moment. It’s about the bigger picture - and on Friday night, that picture was one of frustration, accountability, and a call for respect that goes both ways.