SAN FRANCISCO -- Draymond Green is a four-time NBA champion for a reason. He will be a first-ballot entrant into The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for a reason. He also has served his fair share of suspensions throughout his 12-year career.
For a reason.
The Warriors take the good with the bad, and up until the 2023-24 NBA season, the former has greatly outweighed the latter. That's why when Green, who officially was reinstated from his indefinite suspension on Jan. 6, does return to the court, it will be paramount that he not only continues to toe the line that he so famously has over the years, but that he masters the art of balance and control.
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Green spoke to reporters publicly for the first time since his suspension on Tuesday at Chase Center, offering a peek behind the curtain at what the past few weeks have been like for him as he dealt with the ramifications of his actions and began to pick up the pieces and grow as a person on and off the court.
The first, and perhaps the most important step, was going cold turkey from the game of basketball entirely.
"I didn't touch a basketball for the first 10 days, and then I started working again," Green shared. "Then it felt good to get back in the gym after I sat with some of my thoughts. After 10 days, it was refreshing to go get a workout in, but it didn't feel like a routine. It didn't feel like I was jumping right back into the revolving door if you will and just start back spinning."
Once he started to incorporate basketball back into his life, Green began applying what he learned in his therapy sessions to craft the model of player he hopes to be upon his return, one that already should be familiar to him and the Warriors but with the necessary fine-tuning.
Golden State Warriors
"I think number one, it's about, first off, understanding your emotions," Green said. "Understanding those moments. My goal is not to come back and worry about crossing the line. Because I still have to come back and play the game that I know how to play the game and be the best me for my teammates to help give my team a chance to win. I think as far as not crossing a line with a referee, yes, that's a big point of emphasis for me. Knowing and understanding where that line is."
The key for Draymond is to continue being who he is and to always play with the same fire and passion that has gotten him to numerous prestigious mountaintops in his career while eliminating the unnecessary slip-ups that oftentimes get him in the most trouble.
"Let's face it, 'antics.' Antics is something that got me here," Green explained. "And so when I look back on these situations, it's like can you remove the antics? I'm very confident I can remove the antics. And I'm very confident if I do remove the antics, no one's worried about how I play the game of basketball. Nobody's worried about how I carry myself in the game of basketball, but it's the game of antics. So that's my focus.
"It's not on changing who I am completely. You don't change the spots on a leopard. It's just not going to happen and I'm not going to try to set some unrealistic expectation of who's this person going to be."
The Warriors can't afford to have a shell of the Draymond they've come to know and love. The balancing act is difficult and oftentimes can be unclear, but coach Steve Kerr just asks for one thing.
"What makes Draymond great is his bravado, his emotion," Kerr said. "What makes Steph [Curry] great is his confidence mixed with his humility, and it's interesting to watch how powerful humility can be. I saw it with Tim Duncan all the time. I think everybody's different, so I don't expect Draymond to all of a sudden behave like Steph Curry or Tim Duncan. I want him to be like himself, but there needs to be some humility in the wake of everything that's happened that goes along with that bravado."
Green knows he let his team down, and watching the Warriors flounder to an uninspiring 7-6 record in his absence has increased his sense of urgency to return and help right the ship. Green's situation is unique in that he's not returning from an injury. If it were up to him, he would return to the court as soon as possible. Working through the Warriors' ramp-up plan will be his first test of patience.
"I'm coming back from a suspension, not an injury," Green said. "There's a huge sense of urgency. I pushed it like crazy today and I'm going to push it like crazy every day until I can get back on the floor."
"I think he looked pretty good," Kerr said. "He definitely needs to play more basketball before he's ready to step onto an NBA floor. Just for his rhythm and his timing. He's always been a player who is going to make quick decisions and push the envelope. But the timing of everything matters. His skill in terms of handling the ball. He needs to find some rhythm here over the next week or two."
It remains to be seen when exactly Green will return to the court for the Warriors, but with a renewed understanding of just how important he is to the fabric of the team's success and the regret of letting his teammates down, it's safe to assume he will push his hardest to play as soon as possible.