SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green is vowing a commitment to playing without the “antics” that have plagued him on the court throughout his career, working over the past month on ways to control his emotions and not let hostility take over.
Oh, yes, he still plans to compete on the edge and isn’t promising he will be perfect during this process.
“Antics isn’t something that got me here, and so when I look back on these situations it’s like, ‘Can you remove the antics?’ I’m very confident I can remove the antics,” Green said, “and I’m very confident that if I do remove the antics, no one’s worried about how I play the game of basketball. Nobody’s worried about how I carry myself in the game of basketball but it’s the antics. So that’s my focus.”
Still, Green insists he has “cost my team enough” and feels a sense of urgency to get back on the court and help the Warriors. He doesn’t have a return date: “Not yet but I’m pushing to make that as soon as possible.”
“Accepting what the league handed down was the easy part from a personal standpoint,” Green said.
For now, Green will prepare for how he handles himself going forward.
“Going into anything, you can only best prepare yourself for what moments you may face and then you’ll be put to the test,” he said. “What is real is preparing yourself and doing a lot of self work so that when you are in these moments you know where you can turn to.”
Coach Steve Kerr said he has spoken to Green about finishing this special run with the Warriors on a positive note. They also discussed the idea of “no more buts,” such as giving an apology without explanation and then moving forward — a combination of humility with his bravado.
“Let’s do it the right way, let’s do it with dignity, let’s do it with competitive desire, let’s do it joyfully,” Kerr shared of his message.
