Draymond Green has been at the center of controversy once again, this time after being suspended indefinitely for slapping Jusuf Nurkic. The NBA's decision has divided the basketball community, with some applauding the league for taking a strong stance against Green's behavior, while others believe that the suspension is too harsh.
Shaquille O'Neal Defends Green
Shaquille O'Neal, a four-time NBA champion, has come out in support of Green, claiming that he doesn't need any help and has not been behaving differently than he did throughout the course of his career.
"This is how he won 4 championships," O'Neal said on The Rich Eisen Show. "He's just got to learn to control his emotions."
O'Neal did admit that Green made a mistake, but he pointed out that the forward hoisting his arm was an error that he could've avoided and called out Jusuf Nurkic for trying to sell the foul.
"Only mistake he made is he had his arms out like that... What I really didn't like it is the big guy (Nurkic) all on the ground. Get your big a** up. Get up, stop it, you sold the call it's a foul, get up."
The Media Rips Green
The media has been highly critical of Green's actions, with esteemed names like Shams Charania and Justine Termine berated the 33-year-old.
"What's bad for the sport is throwing out the best player in the world, when he is playing on the road for fans who are paying thousands of dollars," Termine said.
"It's indefinite because he has to show the league that he's learned from this, this is the fourth major incident," Charania said.
Considering that he punched Jordan Poole last year, choked Rudy Gobert a couple of weeks back, and hit Nurkic, Green might need some sort of help... whether Shaq agrees or not.
What's Next for Green?
It is unclear how long Green's suspension will last, but the NBA has made it clear that he needs to change his behavior. If he is able to do so, he could still be a valuable player for the Golden State Warriors. However, if he continues to make mistakes, his career could be in jeopardy.
