Draymond Green Given Rare Indefinite Suspension from NBA After Hitting Opponent in the Face During Game

The four-time NBA Champion has a “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the league said in a statement

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Draymond Green

Draymond Green has been indefinitely suspended by the NBA after striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić during Tuesday night’s game, an incident that led to his third ejection of the season.

The NBA said in a statement Wednesday night that “this outcome takes into account Green’s repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.”

Green, 33, will be “required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play,” the league’s statement added.

The Golden State Warriors star will reportedly lose $153,941 per game if the suspension lasts less than 20 games and $202,922 per game if it goes on for more than 20 games, according to ESPN.

Related: Draymond Green Says ‘Shame on You’ to Fans Who Think They Know Him from Just Watching Basketball

After Tuesday night’s incident, Green claimed he didn’t intend to strike Nurkić in the face.

“I am not one to apologize for things I mean to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him,” Green told reporters. “I sell calls with my arms … so I was selling the call … and I swung and unfortunately I hit him.”

He added: “Like I said, if I intended to do that, then I would feel awful about not being there. But my intentions were just to sell the foul.”

However, the four-time NBA champion has earned a reputation for being one of the league’s most physical players after several high-profile incidents over the years, including the two other suspensions he’s already received this season.

Related: NBA Says Draymond Green’s ‘History of Unsportsmanlike Acts’ Lead to Game Suspension

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Draymond Green

Green was suspended twice last month – once for receiving two technical fouls in one game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and again for a highly criticized on-court altercation in which he put Minnesota Timberwolves opponent Rudy Gobert in a headlock and dragged him backwards while other players tried to free the player from Green’s grasp.

In recent years, Green has either been suspended or landed in hot water with his team after other physical altercations.

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During last year’s playoffs, Green was suspended for stomping on Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis’ chest after he fell to the ground. And before last season, Green’s behavior was the talk of the NBA after video leaked from a Warriors practice in which he sucker punched teammate Jordan Poole in the face during an argument.

Related: Who Is Draymond Green’s Wife? All About Hazel Renee

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Draymond Green and Jusuf Nurkic

Former teammates and league players reacted to Green’s suspension Wednesday night, many surprised at its “indefinite” length.

“That was insane to see,” former Warriors teammate Kevin Durant told reporters, according to CBS Sports. “Glad Nurk is all right. Never seen that before in a basketball court in an NBA game. I hope Draymond gets the help he needs. It’s been incident after incident. I know Draymond and that’s not, he hasn’t been that way when I was around him and coming into the league. Hopefully, he gets the help he needs to get back on the court and put all this stuff behind him.”

Former player-turned-analyst Charles Barkley told CNN he believes the NBA will make Green “undergo some type of counseling” before he returns, much like they did with more recently suspended players such as Ja Morant and Kyrie Irving.

“I like Draymond,” Barkley said, “but you can’t punch guys.”

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