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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Draymond Green’s 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster of emotions. The Warriors Center found himself in troubled waters multiple times during the season because of his on-court antics. Green served two lengthy suspensions for putting his hands on his opponents during the game. The consequences of Draymond’s actions took a toll on him to the point that he even contemplated retirement.

The former DPOY revealed on the 7PM in Brooklyn Podcast with Carmelo Anthony what led to him considering early retirement. According to Draymond, his first suspension for choking Rudy Gobert did not affect him that much. Draymond spent the 5-game suspension working out and counting down the games. However, it all changed after Green got suspended the second time a few days later for hitting Jusuf Nurkić in the face. Draymond revealed that he had a conversation with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver before he got suspended.

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During his conversation with Silver, Draymond wondered if it was worth playing in the NBA anymore. What pushed Draymond into thinking about retirement was how his on-court actions were affecting his loved ones. The Warriors superstar revealed that his mother started getting death threats after the Nurkic incident. Many fans accused Draymond of hitting his wife and children at home because of his on-court aggression. “You hitting your wife. That’s nuts!” Green also claimed his children were getting taunted in school by their friends, leading to several difficult conversations at home. That took a toll on Draymond, and he said to Adam Silver, “I am done with this sh*t.” However, a mature conversation with the NBA Commissioner stopped Draymond from taking the huge step.

How did Adam Silver gain Draymond Green’s respect?

After Draymond expressed his desire to retire, Adam Silver listened to his plea and suggested he take some time off to figure things out. “You sound like you need time.” Silver told Draymond. Green revealed that Silver told him beforehand that he would be suspended indefinitely so that he could use that time to deal with all the issues. Silver also asked Draymond to send him a constant progress report to better understand his current state. The NBA Commissioner’s mature approach helped Draymond rethink his retirement decision.

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“I gained so much respect for him,” Draymond revealed that, even though he respected Adam Silver before, their conversation elevated the respect to a new level. Draymond used his time off to get back into counseling and face the deep-rooted issues that he has been avoiding for years. Thankfully, Draymond chose to continue his NBA career, as retiring at that point would have raised even more questions about his character.