Draymond Green has been one of the star players on the Golden State Warriors for many seasons. Green is a power forward from Saginaw, Michigan, and a three-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion with the Warriors. Green is not only known for his versatile skills on the court, but also for his commitment to justice off the court. Recently, Green has gained recognition for his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” which he uses to speak up about social injustices. This rise in popularity created a spotlight for his recent actions on the court.
This season, Green’s imperfect play style pattern has become a more prevalent topic in the media. He’s been aggressive, which is always good on the court, but many say this aggression has been excessive. It seems like Green has been injuring players on purpose. He recently got his third suspension of the season on Dec. 12 for hitting Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. According to CBS Sports, many are confused by his actions. Players say they need him on the court, but they are concerned that his aggression goes beyond basketball.
Green recently said that during his suspension, he realized he was finished with basketball. It was let out through social media that he was on the verge of retiring. According to People, on his recent podcast Green mentioned how he had a conversation with Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA. Green was ranting about how he feels no pull to the game anymore, and that it’s too much to deal with. Later, Green stated that Silver convinced him to stay. Silver stated, “You’re making a very rash decision and I won’t let you do that.” Green said this made him feel wanted and that he still had people depending on him. He said he was very thankful to have a commissioner that helps him through his problems, rather than punishing his behavior and pushing his problems to the side.
The NBA lifted his indefinite suspension on Jan. 6th, but Green didn’t proceed to play in the Warriors game against the Toronto Raptors the next day. It’s unknown when Green will return to his team, but many understand he’s trying to figure out his mental problems before he comes back to his teammates and the public atmosphere. Even though it is Draymond Green’s 11th season in the NBA, he noticed others see he still has things to prove. He cannot back down so easily.
