Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and NFL since 2006. Before that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and NBA for almost a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for nearly 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
LOS ANGELES — Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant said Monday night that he was happy to see Draymond Green reinstated and that he meant “no ill will” or harm when he said last month that he hoped the Golden State Warriors star would “get the help he needs” following what was “incident after incident.”
Speaking on a new episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” released earlier Monday, Green said he was initially “really pissed off” when he saw what Durant said shortly after Green hit Suns center Jusuf Nurkic during a game on December 12. , an incident that led to an indefinite suspension by the NBA.
However, Green said that once he was able to see Durant's comments from a different perspective and not take the word “help” so negatively, it helped him grow and make one step forward.
Durant, speaking to reporters after Phoenix's 138-111 loss to the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena, explained that he meant no disrespect in his opening comments and noted how happy he was to seeing his former Warriors teammate about to return to the game.
“You have to see things from my point of view, as before I made these comments, [people were] saying Draymond is going to therapy and shit,” Durant said. “Like, what am I supposed to think? They say that someone who goes to therapy, I hope they do better, and I hope they learn whatever they feel they need from going to therapy.
“I'm glad he's back. I'm glad he can get past this. Draymond is an incredible teammate. He's had his moments where he loses his temper, but everyone has those moments and I'm sure he 'they all [are] happy to find him. But I didn't mean any ill will by what I said. I know some people see me as this malicious, passive aggressive snake. I know what people think of me sometimes, so when I say stupid things, I don't want to hurt anyone. I mean no disrespect to him or his family if he felt that way. I'm just happy he's back on the field.”
The night the NBA issued the suspension, Durant was asked about his thoughts on Green and the league's decision.
“Yeah, it was crazy to see,” Durant told reporters on Dec. 13. “I'm glad Nurk is okay. I've never seen that before on a basketball court, in an NBA game. I hope Draymond gets the help he needs. There was an incident after incident. I know Draymond, and he wasn't like that when I was with him and I came into the league. So I hope he gets the help he needs and can get back on the field and put all of this behind him.”
Green, who hasn't played since that incident in Phoenix, is back with the Warriors and close to returning after a suspension that lasted 12 games. He explained how he initially took Durant's comments on board and how he grew through a change in mindset.
“I'll tell you it really pissed me off when Kevin Durant said, '[Green] it wasn't like that when I was there [him and] I hope he gets the help he needs,'” Green said on his podcast. And then I start to take that dive deeper. …I came back to Kevin Durant's statement…as I sat down with myself, I said, “I think it's time for the world to get to know me, to know who I am.” And if I can look at Kevin's statement in the right way, with the right mindset, with the right lens, it essentially recognizes what I want the world to know about me.'”
Green explained that “the world still thinks I'm the same Draymond as I was in 2017. And the reality is I'm not even close to the same Draymond as I was in 2017.”
“And then he talked about help,” Green continued. “And I say to myself, how [is] he'll say I need help. And when I rewatched it with a different lens, I thought, maybe you shouldn't hear “help” in such a negative way. Maybe you listen to the word help with the same mindset that the word help meant when you were 15.
“Maybe he's not saying that as negatively as you take it. And even if he was, I made the decision at that point that I wasn't going to take it that way. way. It was a very proud moment for me because I said, 'You're ready for growth.' That's a step in the right direction.”
Green said he thought it was a “breakthrough” for him during his suspension.
“I’m just glad he’s back,” Durant said. “I’m happy he can talk about his situation, move forward and start playing again and finish his Hall of Fame career.”
Kevin Durant – Meant ‘no ill will’ with Draymond comments in wake of ban
Kevin Durant – Meant ‘no ill will’ with Draymond comments in wake of ban،
Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN editorJanuary 9, 2024, 9:01 a.m.
Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and NFL since 2006. Before that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and NBA for almost a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for nearly 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
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LOS ANGELES — Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant said Monday night that he was happy to see Draymond Green reinstated and that he meant “no ill will” or harm when he said last month that he hoped the Golden State Warriors star would “get the help he needs” following what was “incident after incident.”
Speaking on a new episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” released earlier Monday, Green said he was initially “really pissed off” when he saw what Durant said shortly after Green hit Suns center Jusuf Nurkic during a game on December 12. , an incident that led to an indefinite suspension by the NBA.
However, Green said that once he was able to see Durant's comments from a different perspective and not take the word “help” so negatively, it helped him grow and make one step forward.
Durant, speaking to reporters after Phoenix's 138-111 loss to the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena, explained that he meant no disrespect in his opening comments and noted how happy he was to seeing his former Warriors teammate about to return to the game.
“You have to see things from my point of view, as before I made these comments, [people were] saying Draymond is going to therapy and shit,” Durant said. “Like, what am I supposed to think? They say that someone who goes to therapy, I hope they do better, and I hope they learn whatever they feel they need from going to therapy.
“I'm glad he's back. I'm glad he can get past this. Draymond is an incredible teammate. He's had his moments where he loses his temper, but everyone has those moments and I'm sure he 'they all [are] happy to find him. But I didn't mean any ill will by what I said. I know some people see me as this malicious, passive aggressive snake. I know what people think of me sometimes, so when I say stupid things, I don't want to hurt anyone. I mean no disrespect to him or his family if he felt that way. I'm just happy he's back on the field.”
The night the NBA issued the suspension, Durant was asked about his thoughts on Green and the league's decision.
“Yeah, it was crazy to see,” Durant told reporters on Dec. 13. “I'm glad Nurk is okay. I've never seen that before on a basketball court, in an NBA game. I hope Draymond gets the help he needs. There was an incident after incident. I know Draymond, and he wasn't like that when I was with him and I came into the league. So I hope he gets the help he needs and can get back on the field and put all of this behind him.”
Green, who hasn't played since that incident in Phoenix, is back with the Warriors and close to returning after a suspension that lasted 12 games. He explained how he initially took Durant's comments on board and how he grew through a change in mindset.
“I'll tell you it really pissed me off when Kevin Durant said, '[Green] it wasn't like that when I was there [him and] I hope he gets the help he needs,'” Green said on his podcast. And then I start to take that dive deeper. …I came back to Kevin Durant's statement…as I sat down with myself, I said, “I think it's time for the world to get to know me, to know who I am.” And if I can look at Kevin's statement in the right way, with the right mindset, with the right lens, it essentially recognizes what I want the world to know about me.'”
Green explained that “the world still thinks I'm the same Draymond as I was in 2017. And the reality is I'm not even close to the same Draymond as I was in 2017.”
“And then he talked about help,” Green continued. “And I say to myself, how [is] he'll say I need help. And when I rewatched it with a different lens, I thought, maybe you shouldn't hear “help” in such a negative way. Maybe you listen to the word help with the same mindset that the word help meant when you were 15.
“Maybe he's not saying that as negatively as you take it. And even if he was, I made the decision at that point that I wasn't going to take it that way. way. It was a very proud moment for me because I said, 'You're ready for growth.' That's a step in the right direction.”
Green said he thought it was a “breakthrough” for him during his suspension.
“I’m just glad he’s back,” Durant said. “I’m happy he can talk about his situation, move forward and start playing again and finish his Hall of Fame career.”
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