Draymond Green's drama in NBA: A look at MSU great's checkered past
Draymond Green may be headed to the Basketball Hall of Fame one day for his accomplishments with the Golden State Warriors and Michigan State basketball, but his suspension-worthy antics on the court will be an unforgettable part of his legacy.
He added another indelible moment to his checkered career on Tuesday night, when he was ejected from the Warriors' nationally-televised game against the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter. Green turned and hit Phoenix's Jusuf Nurkic in the side of the face while fighting for position on the baseline during an inbounds play, and received a Flagrant 2 foul and immediate ejection.
Green is now possibly facing the sixth suspension of his NBA career and the second of 2023-24. His provocative style of play along with his loud trash talking has earned him the reputation as one of the league's villains.
Green has always played on the edge, but the clear suspension-worthy plays have picked up as he's aged. If suspended for the latest incident, it will be the sixth of his career and the third in the last calendar year.
Green didn't have the reputation as a potentially dirty player as a high school standout in Saginaw or in his four years at Michigan State, where he was the Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American as a senior in 2012.
In fact, he's remembered fondly as one of the best players to ever play under Tom Izzo. His No. 23 was retired by the team in 2019, and Green has given back to program with millions in donations.
He was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Warriors, and used his defense and rebounding ability to become an integral part of the best teams in NBA history, which won four NBA championships over eight seasons. Green became one of the best defenders of the modern era, making eight NBA All-Defense teams and winning one Defensive Player of the Year. But at the same time, his tenacity boiled over often enough to be labeled as dirty and the incidents have increased as the years have gone on.
Here's a look back at all of Green's drama since leaving East Lansing and he's become one of the biggest names in sports:
2016
Already established as the best defender on the defending NBA champions, Green was absent for Game 5 of the Finals with his first career suspension. In Game 4, Green got rolled up under Cavaliers star LeBron James, and extended his arm, hitting James in the groin as he passed over him. Green's actions were upgraded to a Flagrant Foul after the game, which was his fourth of the postseason, incurring an automatic one-game ban.
His suspension coincided with a flip in momentum during that series, as the Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit for the first time in NBA Finals history to knock off the Warriors. Green delivered a career performance in Game 7, but the suspension was enough for James and the Cavaliers to win the championship.
That was the start of a rough summer for Green in the PR department. In July, he reached a plea deal for allegedly slapping a MSU football player and also had to apologize for accidentally exposing himself on Snapchat.
2018
Green was suspended by the Warriors for one game in 2018 for an argument between him and superstar teammate Kevin Durant. The two got heated after Green refused to pass the ball to Durant for the final shot in an overtime loss to the Clippers.
According to the players, the argument continued into the locker room and Green confronted Durant about his impending free agency decision, which became a factor in Durant's decision to leave the team after that season.
2022
This incident didn't result in a suspension, but rather a fine and eventual trade of one of the parties involved.
During training camp, Green wound up and punched then-teammate and former Michigan Wolverine Jordan Poole after the two appeared to exchange trash talk mid-practice. The Warriors elected to fine Green instead of suspending him, but eventually traded Poole to the Washington Wizards after the season and admitted to lasting chemistry issues.
2023
The third suspension of Green's career came during last regular season, when he had to sit a game for picking up his 16th technical foul of the season, but the fourth suspension came during the first round of the playoffs.
In Game 2 of the first-round series against the Sacramento Kings, Green stomped on the chest of All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, who was laying on the ground during a rebound. Green missed Game 3 but returned to help the Warriors win the series in seven.
2023
Green has had a rough start to this season in terms of league punishment. On Nov. 16, he was ejected for putting Timberwolves forward Rudy Gobert in a headlock during a scuffle between the two teams. He was suspended five games for the incident, and the NBA said his past history played a role in the length of suspension.
It was his second ejection of the season. He was ejected the first time on Nov. 11 for receiving two technical fouls in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He returned to action from the suspension on Nov. 28, and lasted six games before his incident with Nurkic.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Draymond Green's drama in NBA: A look as his checkered past
