Did Jusuf Nurkic Go Too Far By Insinuating Draymond Green is Mentally Ill after 360 Hit in Face Incident?

The Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors played a thrilling game on Tuesday night, with the Suns edging out the Warriors 119-116. However, the game was overshadowed by a heated incident between Draymond Green and Jusuf Nurkic, which resulted in Green’s ejection and Nurkic’s controversial remarks.

Did Draymond Green Intentionally Hit Jusuf Nurkic?

The incident occurred in the third quarter, when Green was trying to get free from Nurkic’s hold. Green swung his arm wildly and hit Nurkic in the face, drawing blood from his nose. The referees reviewed the play and assessed Green with a flagrant two foul, which means an automatic ejection.

Green later explained that he did not intend to hit Nurkic, and that he was only trying to bait the referees into calling a foul on Nurkic. He also said that he apologized to Nurkic, and that he accepted his ejection as warranted by the NBA rules.

Jusuf Nurkic Insinuates Draymond Green is Mentally Ill Sparking Backlash

Nurkic did not seem to appreciate Green’s apology or explanation. When asked by reporters about the incident, Nurkic insinuated that Green was mentally ill and needed help. He said, “What’s going on with him I don’t know, but that brother needs help. I’m just glad he didn’t choke me. Hopefully whatever is going on in his life gets better”.

While many NBA fans who dislike Draymond Green praised him for strange comment, there are many people who feel Nurkic’s comments were disrespectful and insensitive, especially since the NBA has been open about taking mental health struggles seriously, and not making fun of people who might be battling something internal.

Some fans pointed out that Nurkic’s remark was a reference to Green’s previous altercation with Rudy Gobert, when he appeared to choke Gobert during a scuffle, which made them feel that Nurkic was actually making a mental illness joke about Draymond Green.

What are the implications of the incident?

Green is now facing a possible suspension from the NBA, as the league will review the incident and determine if he violated the anti-violence policy. Green has a history of suspensions and fines for his on-court behavior, most notably in the 2016 NBA Finals, when he missed Game 5 after hitting LeBron James in the groin, which many people feel cost the Warriors a championship

Nurkic, on the other hand, may face a backlash from the NBA community for his comments on Green’s mental health. Nurkic has not issued any apology or clarification for his remarks, and it is unclear if the NBA will take any action against him.

The incident has also added more fuel to the rivalry between the Suns and the Warriors, who last season got into a scuffle involving Klay Thompson and Devin Booker. There is no situation in basketball where joking about mental health is appropriate.