Warriors' Draymond Green makes painful admission on Jusuf Nurkic incident

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After Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green criticized Jusuf Nurkic for Naji Marshall‘s scuffle, he offered his perspective on his mindset during his spat with the Suns center. It wasn’t the first time he had gotten involved with an opposing big; Green has a history with Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Edey, but he zeroed in on his fight with Nurkic in 2023-24.

Green received a 12-game for striking Nurkic in the face. Since then, Draymond says therapy and a critical conversation with NBA commissioner Adam Silver prolonged his career. The 13-year veteran considered retirement. Recalling his incident with Nukic on December 12, 2023, Green says he was physically at the Phoenix Suns’ Footprint Center, but mentally, he was somewhere else, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.

“On that night, I wasn’t even at the game,” Green said. “I didn’t want to be there. I didn’t feel like I was there. My body was there. My mind was not at all. My emotions were not at all. I was not there.

“I was there because I had to be there. I had zero interest in the game, in being on the floor. I was just there.”

Green received an indefinite suspension, the sixth career suspension of his career. He received a five-game suspension for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock and a one-game suspension for stomping Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis in the stomach during a first-round playoff matchup.

Warriors longtime head coach Steve Kerr says Green is in a much better state this season.

“He’s always been so passionate,” Kerr said. “And when he goes wrong, and his passion gets away from him, it turns into anger. … He’s in a good place family-wise; he’s a great dad. He loves his kids. He recognized last year how much his actions impacted his young kids. He doesn’t want his kids seeing him in that light.”

Draymond Green commits to improving his conduct for Warriors

Warriors veteran Draymond Green’s revelation brought out the best in him. After his incident with Jusuf Nurkic, Green sees two therapists and does his best to avoid trouble. His open and honest conversation with NBA commissioner Adam Silver has tremendously impacted his improvement.

“We wanted Draymond to address what he identified as underlying issues surrounding his conduct on the court,” Silver said. “He committed wholeheartedly to that work, including counseling and regular check-ins with the league office and the players’ association, which continued long after he was reinstated.”

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