Official reconciliation! Warriors' coach and player have apologized to each other, Kerr hopes Green will finish his career with the Warriors

On December 25th Beijing time, Warriors head coach Kerr spoke to the media about the aftermath of his argument with Green. Both have apologized to each other and expressed regret for their actions. This incident is now officially behind them. Here is the full interview transcript—

“We had a good talk today. Honestly… that night wasn’t one of my proudest moments,” Kerr said. “In that situation, I should have stayed calmer. So I regret what I said and did during that conflict. I apologized to him, and he apologized to me in the locker room. We both said sorry—especially since we’re both extremely competitive people. After 12 years together, these things occasionally happen. I’m not proud of it, but we connected well in our conversation.”

“I care deeply about Green; our relationship is like family. Families always have ups and downs. To be honest, my main goal is for him to end his career with the Warriors, fighting alongside us until we all retire. I believe that will happen because I trust him, I trust myself, and I trust everything we’ve built together over the past 12 years.”

“So, we had a great conversation. I won’t reveal details, but I can say this: I’m looking forward to him showing his best tomorrow. I know him too well—he’s a winner, a champion, one of the most passionate and competitive people I’ve ever seen. That trait both defines and challenges him—that’s how that night unfolded.”

Regarding whether they have communicated with the team

“I’ve talked with the team, and so has he. We both apologized for what happened. It was definitely unpleasant, and as I said, as a coach, I need to recognize the situation better—I failed at that—I let my emotions get the best of me. But I also know Green well and understand myself: we’re similar in many ways, which is actually a good thing. I believe we’ll be fine, we’ll move forward, and I’m excited about what’s next.”

Regarding whether Green will retire as a Warrior

“Absolutely. One thing I love about Green is his loyalty. I’ve been talking to Izzo (Michigan State coach) a lot recently, and Green’s connection to his alma mater is one of the things I admire most about him… He’s loyal—to the Warriors, to me, to Stephen (Curry). He wants to spend his entire career here, and I hope the same. I love Green, his significance to me, the team, and the Bay Area. He’s loyal and thoughtful and will be the first to admit he’s complex. But he’s one of a kind. I’ll always support him, even 20 years from now when we might not be together—I feel that deeply. I also hope our story ends that way, whenever that time comes.”

On turning setbacks into victories

“We’ve had many examples of this. Because we understand each other, and I know his energy. We have four championship banners, and obviously many contributed, but I’ve said before and still believe: without Draymond, we wouldn’t have won any of those titles—his impact on winning is that significant. He can channel his passion, emotion, and raw drive into motivation, which is key to our success. That night, I failed to control my own emotions and intensity (I have plenty myself). We have more in common than most realize. So, these conflicts and outbursts aren’t entirely unusual. I’ll say it’s not the first time. But over 12 years, we always find ways not only to bounce back but to improve because of it.”

On whether the team atmosphere has eased

“Yes. I think every team experiences various dynamics throughout a season. The coach and team leaders’ job is to help everyone get through those moments. We have problems like other teams, but we have to address them. I believe this conversation was an important step. I’m confident in the team’s current state and our direction. I see the potential to replicate last year’s performance—going on a winning streak and giving us a chance to compete for the championship.”

“For me, as a team and as an organization, the most important thing is to make everyone understand: there is beauty even in struggles, and the goals we work toward now contain that beauty. We are no longer the Warriors who dominated the league in 2017; we are a fading dynasty, and we all know that. So what do we do? How do we maintain our form day by day? How do we get back to the championship stage? We did it last year—we’re proud of that. The team went on a winning streak despite losing to the Timberwolves and Curry’s injury setbacks. Who knows how far we could have gone? But we gave ourselves a chance. That’s our goal: to recognize reality, understand ourselves, acknowledge possibilities, and take pride in the struggle—because that’s part of life.”