Draymond Green Swears He's A Changed Man

Draymond Green is setting a high precedent for his return to NBA action. The 35-year-old veteran is back from a suspension for hitting Phoenix Suns player Jusuf Nurkic in the face on Dec. 12.

Certainly, it's hard to trust Draymond based on his history of taking cheap shots. But Green said his "antics" are behind him after serving a costly absence from the Warriors ... so could he be a new man?

Green spoke with the media on Tuesday, professing to a change of character after his incident with Nurkis negatively impacted the Warriors.

The enlightened Draymond said it “hurt” to watch his teammates answer for his mistakes while he was away.

“It’s urgent from a professional standpoint because I wasn’t hurt,” Green shared with reporters. “At least, my body wasn’t hurt. My mind was hurting, my feelings was hurt, but it wasn’t like some injury caused me off the court. It’s very urgent because I’ve cost my team enough. I’ve cost this organization enough.

“It’s not a time for me to just come back and be like, ‘Alright, I’m going to take my time and get back when I can.’ No, like, you caused this yourself. You don’t get the grace.”

READ: DRAYMOND GREEN SAYS ADAM SILVER TALKED HIM OUT OF RETIRING

The NBA reinstated Draymond on Saturday. Details from his suspension noted that Green had to undergo a counseling program.

Green even admitted to considering retirement until NBA Commissioner Adam Silver convinced him to stay in the league.

After a turbulent month away from the Warriors, Green is taking a step toward his comeback. On Monday, Draymond Green participated in his first practice.

Adam Silver shared his positive discussions with Draymond, and it's easy to expect Green to return by the end of January. At this point, Green is practicing to return to game shape so an earlier return timeline is possible.

The Golden State Warriors are 17-19, sitting 12th in the Western Conference Standings.