FILE–Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after being ejected for a flagrant foul throughout the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on December 12, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 119-116. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green is vowing a commitment to playing without the “antics” which have plagued him on the court throughout his profession, working over the past month on ways to regulate his emotions and never let hostility take over.
Oh, yes, he still plans to compete on the sting and isn’t promising he will probably be perfect during this process.
“Antics isn’t something that got me here, and so once I look back on these situations it’s like, ‘Are you able to remove the antics?’ I’m very confident I can remove the antics,” Green said, “and I’m very confident that if I do remove the antics, nobody’s frightened about how I play the sport of basketball. No one’s frightened about how I carry myself in the sport of basketball however it’s the antics. In order that’s my focus.”
Through therapy, Green said he has learned techniques to raised cope with tense moments during games when he has previously lost his cool, embracing the thought of improving himself after being disciplined by the NBA with an indefinite suspension last month.
“So far as not crossing the road with a referee, yes, that’s an enormous point of emphasis for me, and knowing and understanding where that line is,” Green said, speaking for greater than 35 minutes Tuesday following his first formal practice since being reinstated Saturday from a 12-game league suspension.
He added it’s about “developing a practice, developing a routine” — and the NBA, Warriors and others supported him in how that may look.
Still, Green insists he has “cost my team enough” and feels a way of urgency to get back on the court and help the Warriors. He doesn’t have a return date: “Not yet but I’m pushing to make that as soon as possible.”
“Accepting what the league handed down was the straightforward part from a private standpoint,” Green said.
He noted that a positive of the indefinite timeline was specializing in “being in a greater space” without the stress of specializing in an instantaneous return to basketball. He even contemplated retirement and didn’t touch a ball for “the primary 10 days since it was the least vital thing to me.”
FILE–Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after being ejected for a flagrant foul throughout the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on December 12, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 119-116. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
For now, Green will prepare for a way he handles himself going forward.
“Going into anything, you possibly can only best prepare yourself for what moments you could face and then you definitely’ll be put to the test,” he said. “What’s real is preparing yourself and doing loads of self work in order that when you find yourself in these moments you recognize where you possibly can turn to.”
Coach Steve Kerr said he has spoken to Green about ending this special run with the Warriors on a positive note. In addition they discussed the thought of “no more buts,” equivalent to giving an apology without explanation after which moving forward — a mix of humility along with his bravado.
“Let’s do it the best way, let’s do it with dignity, let’s do it with competitive desire, let’s do it joyfully,” Kerr shared of his message.
“He’s obviously still an enormous a part of this thing.”
Green rejoined the Warriors on Sunday for a walk-through after which sat on the bench for a loss to Toronto. It wasn’t clear when he would return to game motion — but Kerr said Green would wish to do some scrimmaging to find out his status.
Green said he received applause from teammates as he reintegrated right into a film session that was appreciated but not necessarily deserved.
He served his second suspension this season, this time for hitting Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic within the face on Dec. 12.
The fiery Warriors forward also had previously served a five-game suspension in November for putting a chokehold on Minnesota big man Rudy Gobert.
“What makes Draymond great is his bravado, his emotions,” Kerr said. “I don’t expect Draymond to abruptly behave like Steph Curry or Tim Duncan. I would like him to behave like himself. But there must be some humility within the wake of all the pieces that’s happened that goes together with that bravado. We still need that bravado, we still need that emotion. We’d like the humility that comes when you recognize you’re improper, whenever you’ve made serious mistakes, whenever you’ve put your team at peril. That balance is the important thing to all of this, and Draymond knows that.”
Last season during training camp, Green took a leave of absence from the 2022 NBA champions in what Kerr called a “mutual decision” after he violently punched then-teammate Jordan Poole within the face.
The league announced Saturday the top of Green’s indefinite suspension, saying he “demonstrated his commitment to conforming his conduct to standards expected of NBA players” throughout the penalty that began Dec. 14. Green has met with a counselor in addition to having multiple joint meetings with representatives of the league, the Warriors and the National Basketball Players Association.
The 33-year-old Green, a key member of 4 Warriors championships, was ejected for the 18th time in his profession — most amongst energetic NBA players — during that 119-116 loss at Phoenix.
Green noted he also wants his children to see him attempting to be a greater example and exhibiting growth from the mistakes he has made.
“If I can assist one person grow, great,” Green said. “My goal is that loads of people can learn from it. My goal most significantly is to grow. … I’ll probably mess up along the way in which and that’s all a component of growing.”
