After serving an indefinite suspension for striking Suns center Jusuf Nurkić, Warriors forward Draymond Green made his first public statement on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show”. Green touched on many topics in the episode, including how he immediately felt after the suspension and his thoughts on several things that he heard while being away from the team. However, one of the most interesting comments was about his conversation with Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Green retells a meeting between him and Kerr that occurred after a Warriors shootaround when Kerr drove to his house to speak with him. Per Green's comments, it seems as if what Kerr said forced Green into introspection.

“Also on that day, Coach Kerr came to visit me after shoot around and we sat in the yard. He cried. I cried. Because there's a bond there that seen it all, seeing the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. And he just said to me, ‘I want you to end this the right way. I want us to end this the right way. And you're not doing that right now.'”

Draymond Green has been reinstated by the NBA after serving his suspension. The Golden State star missed 12 games for hitting Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkić in the face on December 12th, and was also suspended 5 games for choking Rudy Gobert during the Warrior's November 15th matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

According to the league, Green has shown a commitment to conforming his conduct to the expected standards of NBA players during his suspension. He has participated in counseling sessions and had several joint meetings with representatives from the league, the Warriors, and the National Basketball Players Association.

These meetings will continue throughout the season to ensure ongoing progress and adherence to the league's conduct expectations.

The Warriors have faced difficulties during Green's absence from the lineup, resulting in a 7-5 record during that period. The Warriors have surely missed his adept defense as well as his role as the offensive initiator on offense, especially as Chris Paul deals with a fractured hand.

Draymond Green expressed remorse for the situation at the beginning of the podcast and said he let many people he cared about down.

“I was wrong, regardless of what I was trying to do. Regardless of it, like none of that matters. Um, I was wrong. I accept my fault in that and I apologize. Um, not only for that situation with Rudy Gober, I was wrong and went way too far. I am a guy who plays on the edge. Um, I am a guy who walks right up to that line and I have no problem with admitting I have walked over that line. Um, and for that, I apologize. Um, I apologize to my family. Um, as they had to endure some things that, as a leader of a family, you have to lead when it's good, you have to lead when it's bad. And that's, as a leader of anything, very hard to lead when you've created the bad. And doing that and creating the bad, I am someone that's created so much good for my family, and you enjoy those times, you appreciate those times, you smile and you laugh through those times. I created bad for my family and for that, I apologize.”

He continued, including detailing different uncomfortable situations that his family has had to go through due to the incident.

“I have a wife, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends that I have embarrassed, and it hurts. It hurts, you know. My mom has experienced death threats. My two children, who are of school age, have to go to school in the Bay Area. Most of their friends or their parents are Warriors fans. So, my children have had to live with that.”