Draymond Green Recalls 2016 Finals Suspension Confrontation

NBA star says he wanted to recreate incident with league executive Kiki VanDeWeghe

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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In a recent interview, NBA player Draymond Green discussed his suspension from the 2016 NBA Finals, saying he had wanted to confront league executive Kiki VanDeWeghe and recreate the incident that led to his suspension. Green claimed he offered to fly to New York and step over VanDeWeghe's shoulder to demonstrate why he should not have been suspended, but VanDeWeghe did not allow him to do so.

Why it matters

Green's suspension in the 2016 Finals was a major controversy at the time, as it was seen by many as a pivotal moment that swung the series in the Cavaliers' favor. Green's recounting of his attempt to plead his case directly with the league office provides an interesting behind-the-scenes look at how players and the league navigate these types of disciplinary issues.

The details

According to Green, he reached out to NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations Kiki VanDeWeghe, who had made the decision to suspend Green, and proposed recreating the incident that led to the suspension. Green said he wanted to fly to New York, get on his knees in the same position he was in during the original incident, and then step his leg over VanDeWeghe's shoulder to demonstrate why he should not have been suspended. However, VanDeWeghe did not allow Green to carry out this plan, and ultimately upheld the suspension.

  • The incident that led to Green's suspension occurred during the 2016 NBA Finals.

The players

Draymond Green

An NBA player who was suspended from the 2016 NBA Finals for an incident that occurred during the series.

Kiki VanDeWeghe

The NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations who made the decision to suspend Draymond Green from the 2016 NBA Finals.

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What they’re saying

“I said, 'Kiki, I'm going to come in your place of work tomorrow. I'm going to fly to New York today and I want you to get on your knees how I was on my knees in the position that I was in trying to get up and I'm going to come and step my leg over your shoulder, and I want to see what your reaction is. Would your arm go up like get the hell off me?' I said, 'if that's your reaction, you can't suspend me. If it's not your reaction, you could suspend me for the rest of the Finals.'”

— Draymond Green, NBA Player (Hoops Hype)

The takeaway

Green's attempt to directly confront the league executive who suspended him highlights the intense emotions and high stakes involved in disciplinary decisions at the highest levels of professional sports. While his proposed recreation of the incident was ultimately rejected, it provides a rare glimpse into how players try to plead their case and challenge rulings they disagree with.