As Draymond Green nears a return to the NBA court, many have called the nature of his suspension in into question.
Green debuted a new season of his podcast along with an extension to his media contract and a juicy story of how NBA commissioner Adam Silver convinced him out of retirement. That led many to question the legitimacy of the tale, given that Green told it on his own platform and just signed a new contract with the Golden State Warriors last summer.
While Green also elaborated on some lessons he learned by going to therapy the past month during his suspension, ESPN host Elle Duncan this week highlighted the basic, simple core of what is being asked of Green.
“I don’t want to make fun of whatever process Draymond has been on,” Duncan said on The Right Time with Bomani Jones on Wednesday. “I’m a big proponent for mental health and for therapy and all of those things. So I don’t want to be on the side of making fun of the duration time he spent away or how much reflecting could he actually have done.”
“I’ve sat with therapists before that have been so revelatory right away,” Duncan added. “But what I’m tired of with these guys, and I’ll throw Ja (Morant) in there as well … is the second it’s about accountability … this is no longer about trying to protect Draymond, this is about the fact that he’s embarrassing them.”
Morant was suspended earlier last year for also harming the image of the NBA by livestreaming himself with guns and alcohol on multiple occasions.
Duncan said both players could gain some perspective by realizing all the league is asking of them is to act maturely and not create negative publicity for the business.
“I just want whatever radical transformation Draymond is trying to do, and I wish him the best of luck in that process. But what I don’t want is for him to spend all this time on the pulpit accusing us of not accepting him for who he is,” Duncan explained. “Like, ‘I’m Ja Morant, I’m still gonna be me. Y’all can’t change me.'”
“Well, if who you are is someone that is dumb enough to consistently wave a gun on IG Live, you do need to go back to the drawing board of who you are. No one’s trying to change who you are. We’re just trying to ask you to work within the parameters of your employment in the same way every other person on the planet is expected to do.”
Duncan believes Green’s conversations with Silver and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr amounted to wanting respect. But she said earning back fans’ respect is not as easy as threatening to quit or even detailing his healing.
It will take time. Just like it does for anyone dealing with stress and anxiety at work.
[The Right Time with Bomani Jones]
