Draymond Green’s Antics Return with Shove and War of Words with Jarred Vanderbilt

Draymond Green and his Golden State Warriors are looking to bid for a fifth championship after their disappointing end to last season.

Draymond Green’s Antics Return with Shove and War of Words with Jarred Vanderbilt

Jarred Vanderbilt and Draymond Green (Image via FirstSportz)

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Star forward Draymond Green tried his level best to stay out of trouble last season, as he helped his Golden State Warriors reach round two of the 2025 playoffs.

It was a major shift in his demeanor, as his aggressive antics in the past brought unnecessary negativity to both the 6′ 6″ star as well as his team. There were some instances of him resorting to his usual self, but for the most part, he was disciplined.

That self-control saw the Warriors fight as much as they could against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but eventually, the injury to leading scorer Stephen Curry became too much of a problem to overcome.

Entering the 2025-26 season, except for signing Al Horford, the franchise did not do much in the offseason. Despite that, there was hope that a full season playing together would make them championship contenders.

Before the season officially kicked off, the starters were sent in to tip off their preseason with a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The latter did not field their starters, which meant it should have been an easy victory.

Despite that, it seems Draymond Green could not control himself and decided he wanted to make his mark in ways only he can. Early in the 2nd quarter, with the game close, the Michigan native set a screen for Curry.

Green’s task was to stop Jarred Vanderbilt from closing down his teammate. In his attempt to do so, he stood his ground, sending the Lakers forward, crashing to the floor.

Then, as he stepped backwards, he tripped over Vanderbilt and fell. The 4-time champion got up instantly and started jawing at his opponent, leading to a stop in play as officials and teammates had to separate them.

Draymond Green had a miserable performance in preseason opener

Those antics in the 2nd quarter literally summed up how Draymond Green‘s first night of basketball went. In their preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, the forward did not have a game to remember.

In the first quarter, there was a sequence where he missed two straight attempts. The first one was when Jimmy Butler, after understanding that his teammate was wide open, passed the ball to Green, who was standing beyond the 3-point line.

The Michigan star, without hesitation, launched a shot, only to get blocked by the new Lakers’ addition, Deandre Ayton. Al Horford grabbed the miss and gave it back to his teammate, who was streaking towards the rim.

This time, he tried to lay the ball in with his left hand. But it bounced off the side of the basket and into the hands of Lakers players. The 35-year-old finished the night with a measly 2 points after taking 6 attempts from the field.

Admittedly, it was a preseason game, which explains why the forward played just a little more than 14 minutes. However, he has to do better, both in terms of production, as well as keeping his control if the Warriors are to fulfil their potential.

Warriors trying new schemes to confuse opponents

The addition of Al Horford opens up new possibilities for the Golden State Warriors. His presence on the floor should allow Draymond Green to take on more playmaking duties, whereas Horford can help keep the paint clean.

Stephen Curry being guarded by Bronny James
Stephen Curry being guarded by Bronny James (Image via Basket USA/X)

In their preseason opener, there were hints of other new schemes that the Warriors are experimenting with. Usually, it was up to Green to set screens for his scoring teammates.

This time, they tried a different approach with Stephen Curry first drawing Bronny James away from Green, and then running back to set a screen, forcing Rui Hachimura to switch to the all-time leader in made 3-pointers.

Draymond Green then backed down James Jr. with the ball to create confusion, as Hachimura was left confused. The Japanese star focused more on his assignment, leaving Curry to create enough space on the perimeter.

Seeing this, the Warriors forward then sent the ball out to his teammate, who launched a shot immediately, scoring three points. If this experiment succeeds, it could launch their 5th title bid.

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