Draymond Green Addresses Latest Technical Foul, Raises Deeper Concerns
Draymond Green is no stranger to high-emotion moments on the court, and Friday night’s loss to the Detroit Pistons was no exception. The Warriors forward picked up his 10th technical foul of the season during the second quarter, and after the game, Green didn’t hold back when discussing what led to it.
According to Green, the tech came after he told referee J.T. Orr-a white official-not to put his hand in his face. Green called the moment “very ironic,” given the racial dynamics at play, and used his postgame comments and a later episode of The Draymond Green Show to dig deeper into why the interaction struck a nerve.
During the game, Green had been disputing what he believed was a missed call when Orr raised his hand in front of him. On replay, Orr appears to gesture toward Green’s chest while speaking to him-an action that quickly escalated as Green reacted and was hit with the technical.
But for Green, the moment was about more than a simple on-court disagreement.
“Black people in America have suffered more than anyone. Black people have been mistreated more than anyone,” Green said on his podcast. “So the reason I spoke about being a Black man in America is because everything that Black people in America have gone through… I’m not OK with anyone, for that matter-but in particular in this situation-a white man putting his hand in my face and telling me in his stern voice that now is my chance not to say another word.”
Green emphasized that, regardless of the context, he doesn’t believe it’s ever acceptable for someone to put their hand in another person’s face. “It’s never going to be OK,” he said.
This marks Green’s 10th technical foul of the season, placing him fourth in the league behind Dillon Brooks (14), Luka Doncic (13), and Isaiah Stewart (11). For a player who’s built his career on intensity, leadership, and defensive grit, Green’s emotional edge has always been part of the package. But it’s also a line he’s had to walk carefully-especially in a season where every game carries weight for a Warriors team fighting to stay in the playoff picture.
Golden State has a quick turnaround, with a matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on deck tomorrow night in San Francisco. The trade deadline looms Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, adding another layer of urgency to a critical week for the franchise.
As for Green, his comments reflect a player who’s never shied away from using his platform to speak on issues larger than basketball. Whether you agree with him or not, he’s making it clear: for him, this wasn’t just about a technical foul. It was about something much deeper.