Draymond Green, the forward for the Golden State Warriors, has received an indefinite suspension following an incident where he struck Phoenix Suns player Jusuf Nurkic in the face during their game, resulting in his third ejection of the season in a 119-116 defeat.
The NBA’s unusual open-ended ban for Green is due to his pattern of unsportsmanlike behavior, marking a rare move by the league. He’s mandated to fulfill specific league and team requirements before being allowed to resume play.
Typically, the NBA issues bans for a set number of games, but Green’s swinging arm that made contact with Nurkic was deemed a flagrant foul 2 by referees—categorized as “unnecessary and excessive contact”—prompting an automatic ejection.
Green expressed regret and apologized to Nurkic, attributing the contact to an attempt to draw a foul by swinging his arm after feeling he was held back illegally.
Despite the apology, Nurkic remained discontent, questioning Green’s behavior and suggesting he might need assistance.
This incident adds to Green’s history of disciplinary actions. He previously received a five-game suspension for placing Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves in a headlock in November. Additionally, he had been ejected for technical fouls against the Cleveland Cavaliers and suspended in the playoffs for an incident involving Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings. Notably, he was suspended during the 2016 NBA Finals for a low blow against LeBron James.
The Golden State Warriors, currently positioned 11th in the Western Conference with a 10-13 record, are set to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.
