Is Draymond Green specifically targeting European players on the basketball court?
During the Golden State Warriors’ game against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, Draymond Green was ejected for swinging his arm and hitting center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. The incident occurred early in the third quarter as Green and Nurkic were jostling for position, and Green unexpectedly swung around, making contact with Nurkic’s head. The referees promptly assessed a Flagrant 2, resulting in Green’s automatic ejection.
In response, Green explained, “[Nurkic] was pulling my hip, and I was swinging away to sell the call and made contact with him.” While Green expressed regret and insisted on not intending to hit Nurkic, the incident marked his 19th career ejection, the highest among active players, and his third of the season.
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Former NBA player Nick Young weighed in on the situation, suggesting that Green tends to engage in altercations, particularly with players not born in the United States. Young remarked, “He’s more of a cheap shot guy, but he tends to do that to a lot of Europeans. He’s messing with nothing but foreigners.”
Green’s track record of on-court incidents, coupled with his latest ejection, raises the likelihood of league-imposed punishment. When asked about the possibility of suspension, Green remarked, “I don’t know. We’ll see. I know what my intentions were, and that’s really all I can speak on.”
Through 15 games, Green has averaged 10.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. Despite his absence following the ejection, the Warriors suffered a 119-116 defeat, bringing their season record to 10-13.
