Nearly four years after that infamous Warriors practice incident, Jordan Poole is still fielding questions about it-this time from an unlikely source: a young fan. In a recent clip that made the rounds on social media, the New Orleans Pelicans guard was caught off guard when a kid asked him point-blank: “But how did you feel when Draymond punched you?”
Poole, clearly taken aback, responded with a short but telling answer: “Oh, my. It’s tough, bro.”
That moment dates back to October 5, 2022, when tensions boiled over during a Golden State Warriors practice. After an exchange of words, Poole-then a rising star and key piece of the Warriors’ 2022 title run-shoved veteran forward Draymond Green.
Green responded with a punch that sent Poole to the floor. The incident was caught on video and quickly went viral, becoming a defining moment of that Warriors season.
Green later apologized to Poole and his family. While the Warriors fined the four-time All-Star, he wasn’t suspended by the team or the league.
Instead, he took a brief leave of absence before rejoining the squad. Head coach Steve Kerr didn’t mince words at the time, calling it “the biggest crisis” the team had faced during his tenure.
Fast forward to June 2023, and the Warriors made a major move. They sent Poole to the Washington Wizards in a trade that brought in veteran point guard Chris Paul. Washington also received a protected 2030 first-round pick, a 2027 second-rounder, and young players Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins.
But Poole’s time in Washington was short-lived. Now with the Pelicans, things haven’t exactly gone smoothly. Once seen as a dynamic scorer with a flair for the dramatic, Poole has struggled to find his rhythm in New Orleans.
The low point might’ve come on January 21 in a home loss to the Detroit Pistons. Poole launched a three that missed everything-an airball that drew boos from the home crowd.
That wasn’t the first time he’s heard it from fans this month. On January 9, during his return to Washington with the Pelicans, Poole was booed heavily by Wizards fans.
He went scoreless in just 12 minutes of action, though the Pelicans cruised to a 128-107 win.
The reaction from Wizards fans may have been fueled by comments Poole made earlier this season, calling the Washington crowd “dead” after experiencing the energy of the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
Under interim head coach James Borrego, Poole’s role has diminished. Through 27 games this season, he’s averaging 14.8 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 rebounds per game, shooting just 37.3% from the field and 33.8% from deep. Those numbers are a far cry from what we saw during his breakout run with Golden State.
For Poole, the journey from rising star to struggling to find his footing has been anything but linear. The talent is still there. The question now is whether he can recalibrate and carve out a consistent role in New Orleans-or whether he’s headed for yet another fresh start.