"You're actually in the wrong": Kenny Smith opines Draymond Green is past 'apology phase' in his career
Draymond Green's unabashed and in-your-face approach to the game has seen him earn bouquets and brickbats in equal measure. In recent times, it's more of the latter as the Golden State Warriors star's actions for the second time in as many years have seen him take the spotlight for the wrong reasons. And according to NBA analyst Kenny Smith, Draymond Green is way past the "apology phase" in his decorated career.
This time around, Green landed himself in soup after he put Rudy Gobert in a chokehold during the opening minutes of the Warriors' clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After a tussle broke out between Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels, the players intervened and Green put Gobert in a headlock and dragged him for a good bit. It ended with a five-game suspension for the four-time NBA champion.
Speaking on NBA on TNT, Smith explained how Green's constant apologies after crossing the line posed serious questions to himself and the team.
"We're at a point where you keep constantly apologizing, you're in the wrong. There is no more apologizing… At 22, 23, and 24 years old, you can keep apologizing. But at this stage of his career, and as a champion, we should be out of the apology stages of his career... He keeps crossing [the line]. He's too good for the team. He's too valuable because of what he does."
Green returned on Tuesday when Golden State took the floor against the Sacramento Kings in an In-Season Tournament matchup at the Golden 1 Center. The seasoned veteran incidentally has a history with the opponents as well after his stomping incident with Kings big man Domantas Sabonis during the first round of the Western Conference playoffs last season.
Draymond Green says he doesn't regret the Rudy Gobert incident
Speaking to the media upon the completion of his five-game suspension, Draymond Green said he doesn't regret the altercation with Rudy Gobert and that his actions were purely in defense of his teammate Klay Thompson.
"I don't live my life with regrets. I'll come to a teammate's defense any time that I'm in a position to come to a teammate's defense. ... What matters to me is how the people that I care about feel, first and foremost. How are the people that I care about affected? How are the people I care about, what do they have to deal with? That's it for me."
Recently, it was reported that Green had apologized to the team, and according to ESPN, the team was receptive to it. However, the bigger question would be how long the Warriors can tolerate the forward's disciplinary issues.
The suspension coupled with injuries to Stephen Curry and inconsistency have led to the Warriors suffering a slump. Ahead of the game against the Kings, the team is 8-9 and will hope that they can arrest the slide. As for Draymond Green, staying out of trouble will remain one of the key objectives this season.