Draymond Green has finally spoken about the infamous chokehold on Rudy Gobert that got him suspended for the last five games. Ahead of his return in a game against the Kings, Green told ESPN that he has no regrets over what happened between him and Gobert.
“I don’t live my life with regrets. I’ll come to a teammate’s defense any time that I’m in a position to come to a teammate’s defense. … What matters to me is how the people that I care about feel, first and foremost. How are the people that I care about affected? How are the people I care about, what do they have to deal with? That’s it for me.”
Green also made sure to let everyone know that he won’t be changing his on-court behavior and will continue playing with the same aggression we’ve come to expect from him.
“The consensus amongst all of us is that I’m going to be me no matter what. That’s not going to change. But in saying that, there’s always a better way that something can be done. So it’s figuring out a better way. That’s the consensus among all of us.”
Green knows his suspension was because of his reputation, with some believing other players would’ve been fined by Adam Silver. However, Draymond knows the league is trying to send him a message, saying that the league can’t punish him extra because of his track record, as he’s already served punishments for previous incidents.
“To continue mentioning, ‘Oh, well, he did this in the past,’ I paid for those. I got suspended in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. You can’t keep suspending me for those actions.”
The Warriors have gone 2-3 since Draymond’s suspension against the Wolves. He’ll be hoping he has a successful return against the Kings, as a win in that game could seal a quarterfinal spot for the winner in the In-Season Tournament.
Draymond Green Return
Green’s return against the Kings will take place on Tuesday night, so he has a couple of days to get into shape. He knows he plays a crucial role in Golden State, but has admitted that he is no savior for Golden State as he prepares to return.
“Where I can help most is demanding that everyone is communicating, not that I’m going to come back and it’s like, ‘Oh, he’s the savior. That s— don’t work. There are no saviors in the NBA. But what I can do is come back and hold more people accountable.”
Green returning against the Kings is ironic, as his last NBA suspension came when he stomped Kings’ center Domantas Sabonis in the chest during the 2023 NBA Playoffs. That matchup has fostered an encouraging rivalry between Sacramento and Golden State and Draymond expects the environment in this In-Season Tournament game to be like a Game 7.
“It’ll be a lot like Game 7. “The atmosphere, excitement, angst. The feeling I am expecting is that it will be like a Game 7.”
Green and the Warriors clinched Game 7 against the Kings in the 2023 Playoffs, courtesy of a 50-ball from Stephen Curry. With Green back, hopefully, the Warriors guard won’t have to carry the team to a win.
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