Draymond Green’s history with Rudy Gobert, NBA could get him suspended
Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green and Rudy Gobert never got along

>Referees, players, and coaching staff try to refrain Golden State
Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) after a confrontation between Golden State
Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) and Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels
(3) in the first quarter of an NBA game at Chase Center in San
Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News
Group)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: November 15, 2023 at 10:45 a.m. | UPDATED: November 15, 2023
at 12:51 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/11/15/draymond-greens-history-with-rudy-gobert-nba-could-get-him-suspended/

SAN FRANCISCO — Warriors veteran Draymond Green is facing a likely
suspension for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a
headlock during a scuffle between both teams during Tuesday night’s game.

The fight unfolded two minutes after tipoff, before either team scored,
when Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels got into a skirmish after a
handsy box out by the Warriors veteran. McDaniels ripped Thompson’s
jersey as they pushed and pulled each other as they made their way down
the court. When both teams entered the fray to pull the two apart, Green
caught Gobert pulling Thompson away from the scuffle by the neck and
within a second he grabbed Gobert in a headlock to pull him away.

Green didn’t let go of Gobert for nine seconds, was issued a Flagrant 2
foul and ejected along with Thompson and McDaniels. Officials deemed
Gobert acted as a “peacemaker” and didn’t punish him. A suspension for
Green is likely in order as the NBA is reportedly reviewing the incident
and interviewing players involved, according to ESPN.

“It’s kind of funny because before the game, I was telling myself that
Steph (Curry) is not playing, so I know Draymond is going to try and get
ejected,” Gobert told reporters after the game. “Because every time
Steph doesn’t play, he doesn’t want to play — it’s his guy Steph. He’ll
do anything he can to get ejected.”

Steve Kerr defended both Green and Thompson.

“There is no way Klay should have been ejected,” the coach said. “That’s
ridiculous … as far as the Draymond part, Rudy had his hands on Klay’s
neck. That’s why Draymond went after Rudy.”

Whatever decision is made for Green will likely come before the
Warriors’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. History
isn’t on Green’s side when it comes to the NBA.

The league established something of a “Draymond Rule” after a run-in
with Domantas Sabonis in the first round of the playoffs last season. In
transition after a Kings’ miss, Green appeared to stomp on Sabonis’
chest, though replay showed Sabonis was grabbing Green’s leg to prevent
him from moving. Sabonis remained in the game while Green was ejected
and further suspended for a critical Game 3 with the Warriors down 2-0.

Back then, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said in a statement
Green was punished further because he was a “repeat offender.” Green now
has 19 career ejections and four suspensions.

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Green also has a contentious history with Gobert. Mostly, the one-time
Defensive Player of the Year Green doesn’t appreciate being compared to
three-time DPOY Gobert as he sees their defensive impacts as nothing
alike. Green called that out during the 2022 All-Star Game on TNT, when
he made an appearance and took issue with the analysts’ comparison of
the two.

“You keep mentioning me in the same sentence with him. We’re not alike,”
Green said. “We ain’t nothing alike.”

In 2019, Green mocked Gobert for crying over a missed All-Star selection.

“I guess I should cry too,” Green said in a tweet. “No Charlotte???”

Beef aside, Green’s likely absence comes at an inopportune time for the
Warriors as they try to navigate out of a four-game losing streak with
Curry day-to-day while nursing a sore knee. Green,, who missed all of
training camp with a sprained ankle, is still rounding into full playing
shape.