Draymond Green confronts fan over ‘Angel Reese’ chants
The referees quickly intervened and removed Draymond Green, while the ushers surrounded the fan
NEW ORLEANS — Golden State forward Draymond Green nearly went toe-to-toe with a fan during the Warriors’ road game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.
The fan, who identified himself as Sam Green, 35, from New Orleans, was wearing a black polo shirt with the Pelicans logo. He was standing celebrating after Draymond Green was called for a shooting foul while defending forward Herbert Jones.
As the players took position for Jones’ free throws, Draymond Green walked toward the smiling fan and stood just inches away from him as they exchanged words, with the fan holding his arms outstretched at his sides.
The referees quickly intervened and pulled Draymond Green away, while ushers surrounded the fan and spoke to him, who continued to look amused by the exchange.
Sam Green said he was goading Draymond with “Angel Reese” chants because, although the Warriors star had several rebounds, he hadn’t attempted any shots.
“He just kept calling me woman,” Draymond told reporters after the game. “At first it was a good joke, but you can’t keep calling me a woman. I have four children and one on the way. You can’t keep calling me a woman.”
Sam Green claimed that Draymond yelled obscenities at him and threatened to hit him if he continued the “Angel Reese” chants (a reference to the WNBA star and former LSU player who set several rebounding records at LSU and the SEC).
“I wasn’t using profanity, and for him to walk four meters off the court to get in my face like that… it was a little disturbing,” said Sam Green, who received a warning from the ushers but was allowed to remain in his front-row seat.
“At first he was talking,” Draymond Green said. “But when you get a little closer he didn’t say much more. But it’s okay. We moved on.”
Draymond Green, known for racking up technical fouls, fines and ejections due to his strong and emotional character on the court, has been fined before for interactions with fans.
In 2022, he was fined $25,000 for what the NBA described as “directing obscene language toward a fan.”
Green has criticized the behavior of fans, stating that they face relatively minor consequences for saying inappropriate things, and that they are even motivated to do so because players can be fined for talking back to them.
AM850’s Anthony Slater contributed to this report.
