Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) battle for control of a rebound in the second quarter at the Chase Center. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Warriors' Draymond Green makes another embarrassing dirty play

By Sean Keane | Last updated Oct 28, 2025 12:56 AM ET

There's something about playing the Memphis Grizzlies that brings out the worst in Draymond Green. But nothing makes Green more inclined to flagrant fouls than when he gets embarrassed on the court.

During the third quarter of the Golden State Warriors' 131-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, Green lost the ball while dribbling across half court without being touched, though he seemed worried that Ja Morant would swipe the ball away. When Santi Aldama grabbed the loose ball and headed in for a layup, Green made a characteristically dirty play.

Green chopped down with his left arm and grabbed Aldama around the neck. He appeared to reconsider the hard foul, saving Aldama from crashing to the ground as hard as he could have, but the damage was done.

Draymond Green has a history of hard fouls against Memphis

During the 2022 playoffs, Green was ejected for committing two flagrant fouls on one play against Brandon Clarke. He got one flagrant for chopping down on Clarke and a second for pulling him down by his jersey.

Last November, Green got ejected from the end of a Warriors win over the Grizzlies when he wasn't even on the court. Green got a technical foul for complaining to the officials, but after being substituted out of the game, he got a second T and an ejection.

Draymond Green's flagrants often happen after he makes a mistake

Monday, Green's play came after losing the ball, and he got an additional technical foul for colorfully requesting that Jaren Jackson, Jr. stop talking to him.

Draymond Green with some words to Jaren Jackson Jr. after a Flagrant 1 foul on Santi Aldama.pic.twitter.com/XFoVtpTF4R
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) October 28, 2025

In Game 4 of last season's first-round series against the Houston Rockets, Tari Eason knocked the ball out of Green's hands, only to have Green dive on him and kick him, resulting in a flagrant for Green.

Draymond Green gets RIPPED by Tari Eason and then dives onto of him and grabs his jersey afterwards. pic.twitter.com/QqzGDbOdEZ
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) April 29, 2025

But one result of Green's misbehavior is often getting into his opponents' heads. After the play, Aldama missed both free throws. On the next play, Moses Moody stole the ball from Aldama and the Warriors went on an 8-0 run to take a 21-point lead.

Green would go on to foul out, finishing with 10 assists, seven points and four turnovers.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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