Warriors’ Draymond Green Suspended Indefinitely After Punching Jusuf Nurkic

The NBA has suspended Draymond Green indefinitely after the Warriors forward punched Jusuf Nurkic during an on-court altercation Tuesday night. The league made the announcement Wednesday, the latest in a long line of disciplinary actions for the controversial star.

The incident occurred in the third quarter of Golden State’s game Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns. Green and Nurkic were matching up when Green abruptly turned around and struck Nurkic. He was given a flagrant foul and ejected. He apologized after the game.

“I’m not one to apologize for things I meant to do,” Green told reporters. “But I do apologize to Jusuf. Even though I didn’t intend to hit him, I sell calls with my arms. I don’t fall to sell a call. I’m not a flopper. I was just selling the call because he was grabbing and pulling my hip. So, I spun away. And, unfortunately, I hit him.”

For his part, Nurkic did not buy Green’s explanation for his actions.

“I don’t know man,” Nurkic said. “I was behind the play. What’s going on [with] him, I don’t know. Personally, I feel like that brother need the help.”

Green’s apology seems to have done very little for NBA officials as well, as the league cited his lengthy history of poor behavior throughout his career.

Just last month, he was suspended for five games after putting the Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert in a headlock during a multi-player spat.

In the wake of Green’s indefinite suspension, some have blamed the Warriors organization for failing to keep Green in check. These critics have often cited an inter-squad event last season when Green was caught on camera attacking former teammate Jordan Poole.

Green will have the opportunity to appeal this indefinite suspension, which could technically keep him out of the league for good if it is upheld. The action will at least bar him from competing for a lengthy stretch and could easily end his 2023-24 season.