NBA fans were left puzzled during Sunday’s game when Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green confronted a New Orleans Pelicans fan in a tense face-to-face moment. The incident quickly drew attention as security intervened, warning the fan and allowing him to remain for the rest of the game without further issues.
### The Incident: What Happened Between Draymond Green and the Fan?
The fan involved has been identified as Sam Green, who recently shared his side of the story. According to Sam, he began chanting “Angel Reese” at Draymond Green to reference the controversial playing style of Angel Reese, a WNBA star from the Chicago Sky. This chant apparently upset Green enough that he left the court to confront Sam directly, with the situation nearly turning physical.
Sam revealed that Draymond warned him he would knock him out if the chants continued. Fortunately, security stepped in promptly, preventing the confrontation from escalating. Had Green made physical contact, he could have faced serious repercussions from the NBA.
### Why Did the Fan Chant “Angel Reese” at Draymond Green?
Sam Green explained his reasoning behind the chant in an interview with ESPN. He said the taunt was inspired by Draymond’s gameplay that night — the Warriors forward had a strong rebounding performance but hadn’t attempted any shots up to the point of the incident.
“I wasn’t using profanity, and for him to walk 12 feet off the court to come and get in my face like that, it was a little unnerving,” Sam said.
The chant referenced Angel Reese’s reputation for “stat hunting” rebounds, a style she has embraced by trademarking the term “mebounds” to describe her impressive rebounding ability. Essentially, the fan’s insult suggested that Green was focusing primarily on rebounds and struggling to contribute offensively.
### Draymond Green’s Response and the Aftermath
Draymond, known for his fiery personality and willingness to engage with hecklers, clearly felt justified in confronting the fan. Despite the tension, the Warriors finished the game strong with a solid team effort.
Green himself had an all-around performance, contributing 8 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals after a slow offensive start. The Warriors secured a significant victory over the Pelicans, improving their record to 9-6 and extending their winning streak to three games since Stephen Curry’s return.
Meanwhile, New Orleans fell to a tough 2-11 record, making the night doubly disappointing for both the Pelicans and the fan who taunted Draymond.
### The Bigger Picture: Fuel from the Crowd
The viral moment quickly became one of the most memorable highlights from an otherwise uneventful game. Draymond has previously mentioned how he draws inspiration from confrontations with rude fans, and his impressive all-around performance following the incident suggests that the exchange may have motivated him on the court.
If tonight’s game is any indication, perhaps more “Angel Reese” chants could ironically fuel Draymond Green and help propel the Warriors to further success this season.
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/golden-state-warriors/draymond-green-threatened-fan-angel-reese/