Draymond Green confronts fan who seemingly took racist jibe at him

Veteran Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is not new to being the center of controversy. During Thursday's semifinal Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Green stood up for himself against a fan whose alleged racist comments crossed a line.

Green, known for his combative playing style and outspoken personality, had a heated exchange with a spectator while warming up before tip-off. The exchange was posted by a user on X (formerly known as Twitter):

In the past, Green has dealt with racist comments from fans. In May 2022, a Memphis TV station meteorologist, Joey Sulipeck, used a racial slur in a tweet about Green after Game 3 of the Memphis Grizzlies-Warriors matchup. Sulipeck later deleted the tweet and his Twitter account, apologizing for any offense caused.

Before that, Draymond Green faced abuse during the 2017 NBA playoffs. He was called the "N-word" and later expressed his frustration in an interview with The Undefeated that athletes aren't adequately protected from such abuses.

Green later drew parallels between his experience and that of Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones. Jones was also called the "N-word" and had a bag of peanuts tossed at him during a game against the Boston Red Sox in 2017.

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Draymond Green cautioned by coach Steve Kerr after latest technical

In the 117-93 loss to the Timberwolves, Draymond Green picked up his fifth technical foul of the postseason. After the game, coach Steve Kerr spoke to reporters and addressed his veteran enforcer's case

"He's going to have to be careful… He's going to have to stay composed and I'm confident he will because he knows the circumstances," Kerr said, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Green's technical came after he struck T-Wolves' Naz Reid in the face with an elbow. He fumed about the call and was subsequently subbed out by Coach Kerr for a quick rest.

With seven TKs needed to get a one-game suspension, Coach Kerr is hoping the number stays at five. The Warriors wouldn't want to lose Green as they're already dealing with the loss of Steph Curry to a hamstring injury.

Draymond Green ended the game with nine points, five assists and four rebounds. The Warriors will take the series tied at 1-1 home for Game 3, slated for Saturday, May 10 at 8:30 p.m. EST.