A few months ago, NBA superstar and four-time champion Draymond Green was suspended from the league indefinitely due to his aggressive antics and behavior against Jusuf Nurkic and the Phoenix Suns.
Earlier today, the Golden State Warriors thrillingly won against the Phoenix Suns, with Draymond Green and the Suns facing off once again, and the Green seemingly reignited his feud with the Suns star.
Jusuf Nurkic left unimpressed by Draymond Green antics
Warriors superstar Draymond Green was suspended from the league last year for his violent actions against Suns star Jusuf Nurkic. In what was a fiercely contested matchup, Green seemed to have lost his cool and started swinging his arms violently with the aim to hurt Nurkic. Following his antics, Dray was suspended for a period of 16 games, a period in which the Warriors plummeted downwards.
Soon after he served his suspension, the player made his return to the team, slowly integrating into the activities and huddles of the squad. Eventually, when the star made his return, he became the glue for the team, replenishing his everlasting chemistry with the Warriors’ sharpshooter and NBA legend, Stephen Curry.
Playing against the Suns was no easy task and Draymond Green showed up to the game with a vicious intensity. Many looked forward to the first matchup between Green and Nurkic, considering their feisty history. Throughout the game, Green was at his usual best, playing with a sense of deep aggression and hunger, dominating on both ends of the court.
Both players kept going at each other, right from tipoff, with no limit on their trash-talks and antics. Nurkic, ironically, was the one who began instigating Green, taunting him with the very famous “too small” gesture. The Warriors forward wasted no time in returning the favor and taunted the player back with the same gesture in a battle that kept going back and forth.
Following the Phoenix Suns heartbreaking defeat, Jusuf Nurkic wasn’t too happy with his rival’s antics, expressing his concern and disappointment in Green’s behavior.
Nurkic said, “It’s sad. He didn’t learn anything. Just a matter of time until he hits somebody else again. I take back everything I said. He don’t deserve a chance.”
The game also saw Draymond Green receive his first technical foul since his historic suspension from the league. Following the team’s emphatic victory, Green spoke to the media and responded to Nurkic’s comments.
Draymond reacts to Nurkic’s comments
As the Warriors marked their victory against the Phoenix Suns, thanks to an insane shot from Stephen Curry, Draymond Green took time to respond to Jusuf Nurkic’s concern regarding Green’s behavior and body language.
Overjoyed with victory, the Warriors star did not pay heed to Nurkic’s comments and did not stand for any slander against his behavior, especially after his dominant performance against the Suns.
Draymond addressed Nurkic’s statements, saying, “I thought I was great tonight. He tried to get in my head, and it didn’t work. If he wants me to walk around quiet, like him, I’m never going to do that. Quiet guys don’t win. He can keep rocking with that same horse that he rode in on. He can ride his ass right out of here on that same horse. It’s not working.”
Warriors HC Steve Kerr did not stand for Nurkic’s comments and also defended Green, saying that Green’s suspension completely changed the player’s approach to the game and helped him to become a better athlete on the court. Furthermore, Kerr said that the player received a reality check on his career following the suspension.
“That month off, that suspension was real. Draymond knew that his career was on the line or is on the line.”
Basketball legend Stephen Curry also acknowledged Green’s importance on the court for the Warriors. Curry said, “He’s given us a lift every game he’s been back. He connects, obviously, our defense, but you can talk about his defense every game. What he did offensively tonight, especially in the fourth quarter, he gave us great energy in the sense of having that competitive spirit you need to win a game like tonight, to meet the moment.”
With Draymond Green doubling down on his aggression and in-game energy which has revitalized the Warriors, there is no doubt that the star doesn’t plan on stopping it anytime, regardless of whether opponents are concerned or not.
