The Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green has been suspended for one game without pay after stepping on the foot of Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis during their game on Sunday night.

The incident occurred with just over a minute remaining in the second quarter of the game. As Sabonis was trying to box out Green, the Warriors’ forward stepped on his foot, causing Sabonis to stumble and lose his balance.

After reviewing the footage, the NBA’s disciplinary committee deemed Green’s actions to be a deliberate attempt to injure his opponent, resulting in the one-game ban.

This suspension is not the first for Green, who has a history of on-court altercations and unsportsmanlike behavior. In 2016, he was suspended for game five of the NBA Finals for accruing too many technical fouls. He was also fined for kicking players on multiple occasions.

Green has been a key player for the Warriors this season, averaging 7.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game. His absence will undoubtedly be felt in their next game against the Phoenix Suns.

The Warriors’ coach, Steve Kerr, expressed disappointment in Green’s actions, stating that “we’ve talked about it before, and we’ll continue to talk about it. We need to control our emotions and play with sportsmanship and respect for our opponents.”

Green has since issued an apology for his actions, stating that “I have the utmost respect for Domantas Sabonis and all of my opponents. I let my emotions get the best of me in the heat of the moment, and I deeply regret what happened. I will do better.”

In addition to his suspension, Green will also forfeit a game’s worth of salary, costing him approximately $120,000.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of sportsmanship and respect on the court. While emotions can run high in the heat of competition, it is important to remember that at the end of the day, it is just a game, and the safety and well-being of all players should always be a top priority.