Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic still has a lot of respect for Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green despite getting viciously hit in the face.
The NBA suspended Green indefinitely after the four-time champion struck Nurkic in the face.
“I have a lot of respect for him, obviously, even before this,” Nurkic said about Green, via Duane Rankin of AZCentral.com. “I still have it. I don’t know what people go through. It’s not our problem, but he’s an NBA champion for me, Hall of Famer still.”
Green will be required to meet certain NBA and Warriors conditions before he returns to play. The Michigan State product was suspended five games earlier this season after putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors, Jusuf Nurkic, Phoenix Suns Updates
“I feel like they’ll do what’s best for the league and for him,” Nurkic said. “It’s kind of sad to see people going in a bad direction. I want him to succeed and still be the Draymond we all know. I have no bad feelings or any hate towards him.”
Green publicly apologized to Nurkic, who didn’t suffer a concussion despite getting hit in the head hard.
“I am not one to apologize for things I mean to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him,” Green said. “I sell calls with my arms … so I was selling the call … and I swung and unfortunately I hit him.”
Nurkic is one of the strongest players in the NBA. He could have retaliated after Green hit him, but he chose not to.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors, Jusuf Nurkic, Phoenix Suns Updates
“I learned in this league when you respond to some stuff like that, you’re getting fined,” Nurkic said “… I’m too valuable for this team to get in foul trouble or getting techs or getting kicked out.”
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