There’s a lot of discussion about Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole after the video of their altercation was leaked by TMZ. Some former players have spoken about how Green needs to make up for it, while others have addressed the issue with the video making it out in the first place. One way or another, there is a lot of talk about what NBA players can or should be acting like during practice.
While this particular incident has blown up and does look pretty bad, it’s not entirely uncommon as well. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant have had physical fights. Michael Jordan famously punched teammates, and clashes occur between teammates more frequently than fans realize. With this topic of conversation dominating the NBA discourse though, more and more stories are coming out.
Kenyon Martin And Alonzo Mourning Had An Altercation As Teammates On The New Jersey Nets And Martin Revealed What Was Said
In past eras, fights between teammates and NBA players were even more common than they are now. The frequency may have reduced, but there were some nasty issues between players back then as well. And Kenyon Martin, who spent a short time being teammates with Heat legend Alonzo Mourning on the New Jersey Nets, has revealed what happened between them.
NBA practice altercations are common place.
Kenyon Martin told me about the time he & Alonzo Mourning got into an argument.
Mourning to Martin: “You can’t be a leader in the trainer’s room crying, ‘My ankle, my ankle.”
Martin to Mourning: “My kidney, my kidney.” pic.twitter.com/4SpOuwii1d
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) October 8, 2022
“During one of the practices, we’re doing an offensive rebounding drill. And me and RJ (Richard Jefferson) are on the same team, so we doing the drill. So however many offensive rebounds you gave up, you gotta run. So we’re on the sidelines, laughing and joking and stuff. We just having a good time, ain’t nothing serious at that point.
“So Zo get mad, and go at me like, “You can’t be a leader in the trainer’s room crying, ‘My ankle, my ankle… My exact words was, ‘You need to worry about your motherf—— kidney before worrying about me.’ He didn’t like that too much.”
Alonzo Mourning was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease that had him thinking he might die, so the fact that Martin went at him with that is kind of wild. It just goes to show how intense things can get between players even if they happen to be teammates. The NBA employs the best of the best, and they all have a huge desire to win, which makes the odd altercation that gets quite serious more common than most fans think it is.
