Ex-Warriors Star Goes Viral for Reaction to Suns–Pelicans Fight
Jordan Poole’s Priceless Reaction to Suns-Pelicans Scuffle Ignites Social Media
The NBA regular season is often described as a marathon, but Saturday night’s showdown between the Phoenix Suns and the New Orleans Pelicans looked more like a heavyweight boxing match. While the game itself had playoff implications in a crowded Western Conference, the headline story quickly shifted from the final score to a heated physical altercation on the court. However, it wasn't the combatants who stole the show on social media—it was former Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole, whose reaction to the chaos became an instant meme.
The incident occurred during the third quarter when Pelicans agitator Jose Alvarado and Suns center Mark Williams got tangled up in the paint. What started as standard jostling quickly escalated into a shoving match, with both players throwing punches before teammates and officials could intervene. Both Alvarado and Williams were promptly ejected, but as the dust settled, cameras caught Poole—who had a front-row seat to the mayhem—watching the skirmish with a look of bewildered shock that fans found all too familiar.
Almost immediately, the clip of Poole’s wide-eyed expression circulated across X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. NBA Twitter, never one to let a narrative die, instantly drew parallels between Poole’s reaction to the fight and his own tumultuous history with the Warriors. Fans flooded the comments section with references to the infamous 2022 practice altercation involving Draymond Green, joking that Poole was having "flashbacks" to his time in the Bay Area.
Despite Poole’s tenure with the Warriors being firmly in the rearview mirror, the internet’s memory remains long. The viral moment served as a humorous, albeit unintended, reminder of how deeply that specific chapter of Warriors history is embedded in NBA culture. While Poole has moved on to new chapters in his career, his proximity to on-court violence apparently still triggers a Pavlovian response from basketball fans worldwide. As the league reviews the footage for potential suspensions regarding Alvarado and Williams, Poole can take solace in knowing he won the night on social media, even if it was by accident.
The NBA regular season is often described as a marathon, but Saturday night’s showdown between the Phoenix Suns and the New Orleans Pelicans looked more like a heavyweight boxing match. While the game itself had playoff implications in a crowded Western Conference, the headline story quickly shifted from the final score to a heated physical altercation on the court. However, it wasn't the combatants who stole the show on social media—it was former Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole, whose reaction to the chaos became an instant meme.
The incident occurred during the third quarter when Pelicans agitator Jose Alvarado and Suns center Mark Williams got tangled up in the paint. What started as standard jostling quickly escalated into a shoving match, with both players throwing punches before teammates and officials could intervene. Both Alvarado and Williams were promptly ejected, but as the dust settled, cameras caught Poole—who had a front-row seat to the mayhem—watching the skirmish with a look of bewildered shock that fans found all too familiar.
Almost immediately, the clip of Poole’s wide-eyed expression circulated across X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. NBA Twitter, never one to let a narrative die, instantly drew parallels between Poole’s reaction to the fight and his own tumultuous history with the Warriors. Fans flooded the comments section with references to the infamous 2022 practice altercation involving Draymond Green, joking that Poole was having "flashbacks" to his time in the Bay Area.
Despite Poole’s tenure with the Warriors being firmly in the rearview mirror, the internet’s memory remains long. The viral moment served as a humorous, albeit unintended, reminder of how deeply that specific chapter of Warriors history is embedded in NBA culture. While Poole has moved on to new chapters in his career, his proximity to on-court violence apparently still triggers a Pavlovian response from basketball fans worldwide. As the league reviews the footage for potential suspensions regarding Alvarado and Williams, Poole can take solace in knowing he won the night on social media, even if it was by accident.
