After an extended absence due to a heated on-court altercation, Draymond Green finally received the nod to rejoin the team. His twelve-game hiatus stemmed from an indefinite suspension after he smacked the Phoenix Suns‘ center, Jusuf Nurkic. After an extensive and comprehensive counseling program spanning several weeks, the league rescinded the suspension. However, the past 25 days have been tumultuous, not just for Green but for the entire team, as they found themselves under constant public scrutiny.

The fallout from Green’s unsportsmanlike conduct didn’t just affect him; it also drew attention to Stephen Curry, with analysts questioning his leadership. Stephen A. Smith, being the most vocal critic in the sports media landscape, posed the question, “Where’s the leadership?” Now, with his suspension lifted, Green wasted no time in stepping forward to defend Steph.

Draymond Green apologizes to Stephen Curry

During his live session on The Draymond Green Show, the Warriors’ defensive stalwart expressed his discontent with SAS’s statements. According to him, Steph has never given him or the team a single reason to complain, yet he is being torn down by the media due to Green’s actions. This, he says, “pis*ed him off.” He doubles down on this sentiment, stating, “Well, it crushed me. That was a tough blow to deal with.”

Dray proceeded to offer an apology to Steph, acknowledging the burden of criticism that Steph had to endure because of his actions. He said, “Because he got crushed publicly, I am gonna apologize publicly. I sincerely apologize to Steph for my actions.” He also conveyed his gratitude to Steph and the rest of the team for consistently checking in on him during this challenging period. However, now that it is behind him, when is Green expected to return to the court?

When will Draymond Green return?

After serving a 12-game suspension, he’s now been reinstated but requires approximately a week to prepare before resuming play. Therefore, the earliest he can join the lineup is during the team’s game against the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 12.

Read More: “It Really Pis*ed Me Off”: Draymond Green Recalls His Initial Frustration With Kevin Durant’s “Need Help” Remark

He participated in the Warriors‘ walkthrough on Sunday and watched from the bench as the team lost 133-118 to the Toronto Raptors. The Warriors went 7-5 in his absence. Therefore, fans are hopeful his presence will once again pull them out of the slump.

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