“I Couldn’t Answer It”: Draymond Green Confesses Feeling Cowardly For Avoiding Warriors Owner Joe Lacob’s Call After Choking Rudy Gobert

In the 2023 offseason, Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob rewarded defensive anchor Draymond Green with a four-year, $100 million contract. It was clear that the franchise honored its word and has given financial security and loyalty to the forward who has helped them win four titles. Despite being rewarded, the violent nature of Green’s out-of-the-blue actions tarnished his reputation. While the organization kept its word, one of its most prized members failed to withhold the trust.

In an interview with The Athletic‘s Anthony Slater, Green opened up about how he felt cowardly and ashamed in the aftermath of the Rudy Gobert chokehold. In the sitdown with Slater, the 3x DPOY expressed that he didn’t even receive Lacob’s call after being suspended for five games. He recalled,

“I[Draymond Green] couldn’t answer it[the call]. I couldn’t talk to him[Joe Lacob].“

Green also lamented, “I[Draymond] did not talk to him[Lacob]. I didn’t call back. I almost hid. He gave me his word and he stuck by it. I gave him my word and I’ve let him down. It was probably a little cowardly. Like, I couldn’t face the music,”

Before the 2023-24 season, considering the chirpy forward’s past offenses, Lacob had asked him to accept accountability after signing the four-year contract. The Warriors GM expected the defensive phenom to act as a mature presence that guides budding players such as Jonathan Kuminga.

Back then Green had claimed, “I want to see this organization not only do great while I’m here but after. I’ll be mentioned with this organization forever. And this will be home forever.” But instead, just a month into the season, he choked Gobert causing him to miss five games. 

To further multiply his troubles, in December 2023, Draymond swung at Jusuf Nurkic for no reason at all. Because of it, he has served a suspension of more than 20 games within three months. When he was reinstated, the devastated forward expressed his misery.

Draymond Green accepted his failures

After being reinstated for the second time this season, on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show, the 2022 champion owned up to his mistakes and apologized. He confessed, “I was wrong regardless of what I was trying to do. None of that s**t matters. I was wrong and I accept my fault and I apologize.”

As a father of two children, he felt embarrassed for being in the news for the wrong reasons. He admitted, “My children have had to live [the consequences of my actions]. ”

Green knew he had not upheld his offseason promises and had made things complicated for his general manager. He acknowledged, “Joe Lacob made a commitment to me this past summer for four years. The conversations we’ve had leading up to this, I felt miserable.”

Ever since coming back from his second suspension, he has consistently displayed regrets. Green has shown an utmost desire to not repeat actions that bring pain to his family and his organization alike. Through all these trials and tribulations, the Warriors’ management hasn’t alienated the oft-suspended Forward, which shows their trust and respect for him.