In what NBA officials are calling a “deeply unsettling” incident, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been suspended indefinitely after attempting to emotionally intimidate a referee by locking eyes with him in complete silence for six straight minutes during last night’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
According to multiple eyewitnesses and slow-motion replay footage, the incident began late in the third quarter after a no-call on what Green believed was a clear foul. Instead of his usual vocal protest, Green reportedly stood motionless, dropped his arms to his sides, and began what league analysts are now calling “the most intense stare-down in professional sports history.”
Referee Marcus Eldridge, the target of the silent barrage, later told reporters, “At first, I thought maybe he was just confused about the call. But then… he didn’t blink. For six minutes. I started questioning everything I’ve ever done. My marriage, my mortgage, my childhood. I felt like I was being spiritually undressed.”
The NBA released a formal statement shortly after the game:
“While we support players expressing themselves, a six-minute unbroken, wordless gaze that reduces a referee to an existential crisis violates the league’s code of conduct. Mr. Green will be suspended pending a full psychological evaluation of both himself and the official involved.”
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr attempted to defend his player, saying, “Look, Draymond’s just passionate. He reads a lot of philosophy these days. I think this was less intimidation and more a form of protest performance art.”
Teammate Steph Curry, when asked about the incident, sighed and said, “At least he didn’t throw a mouthguard this time.”
Green himself addressed reporters briefly after the game, stating only, “Sometimes silence is the loudest scream,” before staring at a camera lens for an additional 47 seconds without speaking.
The Warriors will be forced to adjust their lineup yet again as the NBA reviews whether “weaponized silence” constitutes unsportsmanlike conduct under league rules.
