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Draymond Green has officially been cleared to return to the NBA court after serving a 12-game suspension for punching Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic.
Green, who has a history of violent incidents on the court, underwent counseling during his absence and also attended regular “progress meetings” with the Golden State Warriors and league officials.
It was confirmed on Saturday evening that Green has now been cleared to return, with all parties ‘pleased with his progress’.
It is expected to be about a week before he returns to the court, but he will be back with the team on Sunday – for the first time since his suspension took effect in mid-December.
Green was ejected after hitting Nurkic and late the next day the league announced the suspension, effective immediately.
Draymond Green received his suspension the day after he struck out Sun’s opponent Jusuf Nurkic
It is not the first violent incident on the court that Green has been involved in in recent years
The 33-year-old was also suspended five games by the NBA for tying up Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert during an altercation in November.
Last season, Green took a leave of absence from the 2022 NBA champions during training camp in what coach Steve Kerr called a “mutual decision” after the star forward violently punched then-teammate Jordan Poole in the face. Neither player was injured.
Green was also suspended twice last season, including during the playoffs when he tackled Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis during a first-round playoff game.
Green was given a five-match suspension for putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold in November
In the wake of his latest suspension, several players, including former teammate Kevin Durant, have spoken out in hopes that Green gets the help he needs.
“That was crazy to see,” Durant said last week about Green punching Nurkic in the face. ‘… Never seen anything like that on the basketball court during an NBA game. I hope Draymond gets the help he needs.”
Meanwhile, Nurkic himself had claimed that the repeat offender needed help, following last Tuesday’s altercation.
‘What’s wrong with him? I don’t know,” Nurkic said. ‘Personally, I feel like that brother needs help. I’m glad he didn’t try to strangle me. At the same time, it has nothing to do with basketball.”
