Draymond Green did not need long to find Zach Edey. Against the Grizzlies, the four-time champion renewed his rivalry with the 7-foot-4 center, adding another chapter to a history that already includes the Sabonis stomp, the Gobert chokehold, and the Nurkic shove. The intensity put Green in the spotlight again.
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With 9:45 left in the third quarter and the Golden State Warriors trailing 70-63, Ty Jerome converted a floater before turning toward Draymond Green and yelling in his face. The 36-year-old responded by putting both hands on Jerome, prompting Zach Edey to step in for his teammate. The 7-foot-4 center shoved Green from behind, setting off a physical confrontation between the two physical specimens.
“Now Draymond Green and Zach Edey get into it 😬,” Warriors on NBCS posted the footage with the caption on X.
Amid the scuffle, Draymond Green’s finger caught Edey in the eye as they grappled for position. The Memphis star immediately covered his eye, drawing attention to the contact. The broadcast crew noted the history between the two players and suggested officials might need to take a closer look at the incident. They also described the game as one filled with “extracurricular activities” as tensions continued to rise.
Officials intervened to separate the players and reviewed the altercation for a potential hostile act before allowing play to resume. Despite Draymond Green and Edey’s involvement in the physical exchange, the officials assessed offsetting double technical fouls to Memphis’ Jerome and Golden State’s Yaxel Lendeborg.
The incident added another flashpoint to a matchup that has produced plenty of physical battles. However, the tension between the two goes beyond this particular game. It’s a rivalry that dates back to the 2024-25 season
Draymond Green’s aggressive approach drew fresh criticism after the NBA upgraded his foul on Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey to a Flagrant 1. The incident occurred during the Warriors’ 123-118 win over Memphis on November 15, 2024, with 7:06 left in the third quarter.
The Warriors star fell near Edey while driving toward the basket. As the then-7-foot-4 rookie grabbed the loose ball and tried to start a fast break, Green’s arm caught around Edey’s leg, while his outstretched leg also obstructed the center’s path. The Grizzlies star stumbled to the floor, and officials initially called a transition take foul without reviewing the play for a flagrant. Then Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins questioned that decision after the game.
He praised Edey’s effort but expressed frustration that officials had not taken a closer look.
“Draymond grabs his leg and pulls him down and it doesn’t get reviewed,” Jenkins said. “So I know there’s a code in this league, and I don’t understand how that wasn’t reviewed. Very disappointing.”
Edey was equally unimpressed with the contact.
“It definitely wasn’t a basketball play,” he said.
Then Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart also questioned the officiating regarding similar incidents involving Draymond Green. The NBA reviewed the play the following day and upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 1.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr agreed that the contact went beyond an ordinary take foul.
“That’s not a basketball play,” Kerr said. “It was more than a take.”
Green later responded to the criticism on his podcast, calling Jenkins “too emotional”. The exchange added another layer to the growing tension between Draymond Green and Memphis.
The clash became one of the game’s biggest talking points. The Warriors suffered a stunning late-game collapse in their home opener. They led by 12 with just 3:47 remaining, but Memphis flipped the game on its head with a 17-point to steal the momentum. But neither player made much of an impact as a scorer.
Zach Edey finished with eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Draymond Green posted five points, five rebounds and six assists across 31 minutes for Golden State.