Draymond Green apologizes to Jusuf Nurkic, responds to his 'need help' comment / News - Basketnews.com

Draymond Green asserts intentions to sell a foul, not to injure Jusuf Nurkic with a swing: "I don't think I'm an accurate enough puncher to do a full 360 and connect with someone. So it's unfortunate."

Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con - Scanpix Credit USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con - Scanpix

After being ejected from the Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns game on Tuesday night at Footprint Center, Draymond Green addressed the incident where he hit Jusuf Nurkic.

Player of the Game EFF 27 Jusuf Nurkic Points 17 Accuracy 3-9 Rebounds 13 Assists 7

Green apologized to the Bosnian center, emphasizing that the punch was unintentional and occurred while he was trying to sell a foul.

"I thought he was pulling my hip, and I was swinging a way to sell the call, and [I] made contact with him," Green explained. "As you know, I'm not one to apologize for things I meant to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf [Nurkic] because I didn't intend to hit him.

"I sell calls with my arms. I don't fall to sell a call, I'm not a flopper," he added. "So I was just selling the call because he was grabbing me and pulling my hip back. So I spun away, and, unfortunately, I hit him."

Green was ejected for the third time this season. Watching replays of the incident, he reiterated that his intentions were not to harm Nurkic.

"If I go look at every replay of everything, a replay is never going to look good," Green shared. "But I know my intentions and my intentions were to sell the call. I also don't think I'm an accurate enough puncher to do a full 360 and connect with someone. So it's unfortunate."

Coach Steve Kerr repeatedly said that the team needs Green to win games.

"Yeah, I'm aware [of that]. And like I said, if I intended to do that, then I'd feel awful about not being there [for my team]," Green said. "But my intentions were just to sell the foul, and he was, as you can see, moving forward. So, as I'm moving back, he's still coming forward. Again, I apologized to Nurkic because I hit him.

"I think you guys have known me long enough: if I intended to do something, I'm not apologizing for it."

After the Suns secured a 119-116 victory, Nurkic shared his own thoughts on the incident, expressing concern for Green's behavior.

"What's going on with him? I don't know. Personally, I feel like that brother needs help," Nurkic said. "I'm glad he didn't try to choke me. At the same time, it ain't nothing to do with basketball."

Green respectfully responded to Nurkic's comments, acknowledging that everyone has their own perspective.

"Respect. I still know what my intentions were. But respect, I think we all need help. Think any of us are too perfect. Respect," he reacted to Nurkic's post-game statements. "But I will tell him the same thing I just told you. I apologize to him, I did not intend to hit him, but he has a right to feel how he wants to feel about it. I am not going to sit here and try to go back and forth on how he feels about it. It is on him."

Jusuf Nurkic on Draymond Green punch: 'That brother needs help'

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