"A lot different this year": Kevon Looney expresses unease about Draymond Green's indefinite suspension, impact on Warriors (Exclusive)
The Golden State Warriors have routinely witnessed Draymond Green collect technical fouls, mostly considering it a tax to ensure he maximizes his defensive versatility and intensity.
Warriors forward Kevon Looney conceded that he hadn’t seen this version of Green until recently. First, Green drew a five-game suspension last month for putting Minnesota's Rudy Gobert in a chokehold while separating him from a scuffle with Warriors guard Klay Thompson. Then, Green drew an indefinite suspension for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face during the Warriors’ loss on Tuesday. And during last season’s training camp, Green punched former teammate Jordan Poole during practice.
Has that prompted the Warriors to have direct heart-to-heart conversations with Green about his behavior?
“We talk about it from time to time throughout the year,” Warriors forward Kevon Looney told Sportskeeda. “We talked about it the last couple of weeks with all the things going on. But I think he’s going to figure it out and come back better than ever."
Kevon Looney interview (Exclusive)
Looney spoke to Sportskeeda about Green’s recent behavior, his receptiveness and why he feels optimistic Green will change.
Editor’s note: The following one-on-one conversation has been edited and condensed
How did you absorb the Draymond Green suspension news when it first came through?
Looney: “We knew something was going to happen. But that was a little shocking because we’ve never seen something like that before, so it was a little shocking. We have to keep going. We have to win for our brother and try to hold down the fort until we get back and hopefully can figure it out and be back with us sooner than later.”
Why was that a little shocking?
Looney: “When you see ‘indefinitely’, I’ve never seen that before. So we still don’t know how long. Usually, when you put a number (to the games you're missing), you can put your mind around it and see how long somebody is going to be gone. But when you say ‘indefinitely,’ you don’t know what to expect or how long he’s gone. It’s the uncertainty that left me shocked."
Have you and the group felt you need to have any heart-to-hearts with him?
Looney: “We’ve been talking to him all year. He’s been locked in. It’s not like he’s unreachable. He’s been with the group. He’s been talking with us. So every time he does something like that, it’s kind of shocking. It’s not like we expect something like that to happen. He’s been a great teammate. He’s been a better leader this year. He’s been doing all the right things this year. But then when he’s on the court, he sometimes loses it a little bit."
"As far as in the locker room, though, he’s been great. You don’t see any buildup or that he’s having bad days or that he’s not himself. He’s been great. He’s been one of our leaders. He’s brought great energy every day. Even when we’ve been losing and trying to figure it out, he’s been one of those guys that have brought everyone together. That’s why it’s shocking when things like that happen on the court.”
During those talks, what messages have you and the group conveyed to Draymond so that these incidents don’t happen and he’s available?
Looney: “We talk, but we really put that on him. He knows what he needs to do. I think the [league] said he’s going to seek counseling or something. I don’t know. But he knows what he needs to do to figure it out. He knows how to control himself. He’s an intelligent guy. Off the court, he’s been great and with friends and family. He’s one of the best people you’ll ever meet. But he has to be able to control that on the court. He’s so competitive and pushing himself and playing with such an edge that sometimes it’s hard for him to control it. But he has to figure out how to control it a little bit better."
"We talk about it from time to time throughout the year. We talked about it the last couple of weeks with all the things going on. But I think he’s going to figure it out and come back better than ever."
I understand you all have his back, but this year has seemed much different than in past years when Draymond would get into it with an official. Is that a fair assessment?
"I would say it’s been a little different. Because in the years past, he might get a tech and he would miss the next game. But this year, he has been ejected and suspended a few times. That’s a lot different. We need him. Not to have him on the court hurts us a lot. We’ve been talking to him about how much we need him and need him to be there for the team."
"So it’s definitely been different. In years past, he had a few ejections or techs. But nothing that he had here. If he had, maybe once a year. He had three [ejections] in the first 20ish games. It’s been a little different and a little bit surprising. We’re trying to win. He’s playing so hard and he wants it so badly that he’s pushing himself and pushing our team to the limit. But I think he’ll figure it out. You can say otherwise, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him. I just think he has to figure out how to control himself a little better. I think he wants to do the work. I think he wants to help our team. This last one really hurt him because he knows how much we need him. But he loves our group, and I think he’ll be back better than ever.”
What have been the differences/similarities with playing without Draymond during stretches this season compared to other years?
Looney: “This year, I would say it’s different because it happened so early. In years past when he went out, it was usually in the middle of the season. We already had our legs and our foundation together. We already had an identity for the team and were able to stay afloat a little bit more. This year, we haven’t been able to establish ourselves with our foundation. So not having him out there hurts because he’s a big part of that.”
What’s been your approach to adjusting without Draymond compared to past years?
Looney: “I’m trying to be more vocal. I’m trying to be a better leader and bring more energy on the court. Without having out there will be a lot different. They’ll ask me to do a lot of different things and be more of an anchor. So I have to keep improving on that, keep our defense and offense going and try to do some of the things that he does on the court."
In what ways do you think you can be a better leader?
Looney: “I’m going to try to be more vocal and hold guys more accountable. I usually talk to the younger guys and let Steph and them do their thing. But I’ll probably check in with them more because that’s what Draymond would do. He’s really close with them. He makes sure those guys are good, and I make sure the younger guys are good. So I’ll try to play both sides. I’m also going to try to make sure Draymond’s good. He’s a big part of our team and try to help keep his mind right."
How have you seen Steph manage all this?
Looney: “He’s been great. He’s been more vocal than I’ve ever seen him. He’s been more hands-on than I’ve ever seen him. He really wants to win. He loves our group and really believes in us. He’s instilling a lot of confidence into all the guys like JK [Jonathan Kuminga] and BP [Brandin Podziermski] and making sure they feel confident on the court. Even when things aren’t going our way, he’s still riding out with us. He’s not complaining or moaning about anything. He’s been doing the work and trying to figure it out as a group. He’s been awesome.”
What about CP?
Looney: “CP has been great, too. Some of those games that we lost, he was out. That could’ve changed a few of those games. But he’s been a great leader in our second unit and keeping us in the games. He’s been a big part of the reason why we’ve won any of these games. He’s been a calming presence and somebody that, when things get us rattled or fragile, he’s somebody that keeps us afloat and steers the ship the right way. He takes a lot of pressure off of Steph, Klay and Draymond. So he’s been awesome. We just have to put it together."
Outside of Steph, why hasn’t the starting lineup been as dominant as it was before in past seasons?
Looney: "It’s just chemistry. We have to figure it out. Guys have changed. Things have changed. The league is a little bit different. We just have to figure out what works for us and what works as a unit. We just have to play better, everyone from top to bottom. I feel like myself, I have to play better. I can rebound better. I can talk more. I can do a lot more things. Everyone has to take that next step. Forget about yourself, and just focus on winning and try to reach our ultimate goal."
Have you been in Klay and Wiggins’ ears during their struggles?
Looney: “For sure, but they know what they need to do. I’m just making sure that their mentals are right and making sure they feel comfortable that I’m someone they can talk to if they’re frustrated. That’s my job and role. It’s never easy. They do the same thing for me when I’m frustrated. I can talk to those two guys. We’ve been through a lot of games together. So it’s nothing new. We just have to figure it out."
What’s your outlook that Draymond and the group will overcome this?
Looney: “I feel very confident. We have a lot of talent. It’s not like we’re getting blown out. We’re in these games. We’re winning. We’re up by 10 [points], and then we beat ourselves. Once we stop beating ourselves, we’ll be a really good team.”
Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda. Follow him on X, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.