Warriors forward Draymond Green has been suspended from the NBA twice this season and will no longer be eligible to play on Team USA’s 41-man roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Grant Hill, managing director of the U.S. Men’s National Basketball Team, made the announcement during a Zoom call with reporters on Wednesday.h/t ESPN’s Brian Windhorst).
”[Green’s] “His contributions have been significant and his excellence is a true part of the legacy of this organization,” Hill said. “But instead of what happened this year, we [Green] It’s on this list at this particular point in the process. ”
Green, who helped the U.S. team win gold medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has been suspended twice this season for on-court incidents.
The four-time NBA champion was arrested in November for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold during a skirmish early in a loss to the Warriors on Nov. 14 at Chase Center. He was suspended from the match.
A month later, Green was suspended indefinitely for punching Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic during a Dec. 12 game against the Warriors at Footprint Center. The punishment ended up lasting 12 games, and the four-time NBA All-Star missed four more games before regaining basketball form.
Green began counseling during his indefinite suspension, but did not return until the NBA, Warriors and commissioner Adam Silver were satisfied that he had learned and grown from the sessions and time away from the team.
The therapy sessions were well received by Green, who spoke to reporters for the first time on January 9, breaking his silence and speaking about his suspension and working to improve his temperament.
“One of the best things that happened to me during the process was as soon as I answered the phone. [with the therapist], he was like, “So, what is this?” I watch everything that’s on the news,” Green said on Jan. 9. How do you feel and what are you thinking? Because if you’re just here to fulfill your obligations or satisfy public opinion, you’re wasting my time and yours. Because it will. ”
“That was the most important thing for me that I was able to hear because that wasn’t why I was there. It was a very important part of starting the last four weeks or so for me. did.”
Hill said in his comments that it is in the player’s best interest to allow Green to focus on himself over the summer rather than playing for Team USA.
“We all understand and certainly have a great deal of respect and sensitivity at this particular time in his career. He’s been working on some things on and off the court,” Hill said. Ta. “So, while we at USA Basketball wanted to support him on his journey, we didn’t feel that playing through the summer would give him the best opportunity to do what he needed to do.”
Green has appeared in one game since returning from suspension, the Warriors’ 116-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on January 15. Golden State has not played since that night after assistant coach Dejan Milojevic died from an injury last Wednesday. The night before, he suffered a heart attack during a team dinner in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Green and the Warriors return to action Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center.
Green is not on Team USA’s 41-man roster, but teammate Stephen Curry is. And coach Steve Kerr will lead the final 12-man roster to Paris before stepping down so a new coach can take over the reins of Team USA.
By the time the 2028 Summer Olympics roll around, Green will be 38 years old and nearing the end of his NBA career, so this could very well be his last chance to win a third gold medal.
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