As the holidays settle in and we cozy up on couches with family — or pack into stadiums with friends to cheer on our teams — it’s easy to forget the personal sacrifices athletes and their loved ones make behind the scenes. NBA star Draymond Green offered us all a stark reminder this week.
During a post-game press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 2, the 35-year-old Golden State Warriors forward opened up about the emotional toll of being on the road for weeks on end while his pregnant wife, 39-year-old singer and actress Hazel Renee, remains at home in the Bay Area.
“It sucks. Pretty s—ty if I’m honest,” he said.
“But, nonetheless, this is my job. And I love to do my job,” he continued. “But it’s terrible, if I’m honest. It’s not the first time I’ve been in this position, though. But my wife does a great job; she’s strong, I’ll do all I can, and get back here if I need to. It’s been tough, just with our schedules.”
While Green was speaking just after a home game against Oklahoma City, the next five out of six gams for the Warriors will be on the road.
He added, “It’s been tough. I haven’t seen my family much over the last month, really, so we try to cherish the moments we do get.”
Green and Renee, who have been married since 2022 and have since built a blended family, shared in September that they’re expecting their third child together. The couple also shares daughters Cash, 5, and Hunni, who turns 2 soon. Green is also the father of 8-year-old Draymond Jr. with ex-girlfriend Jelissa Hardy, while Renee is the mother of 11-year-old Olive, whom she shares with former NBA player Jacob Pullen.
In 2023, he revealed in an interview with Andscape just how hands-on he is when he’s home.
“I do a lot of school drop-offs,” he gushed. “You want to get that 30 minutes across the Bay Bridge. That’s meaningful time. So, I try to do as many of those rides as I can. When you get home, lock in with them. Spend that time with them. Because No. 1, they need it.”
When asked during Tuesday’s press conference what he hopes his kids take away from watching him play, he didn’t hesitate.
“That you must work hard,” he said. “That’s a non-negotiable,” he continued, adding, “If you’re competing, you got to compete at the highest level, and you know, no matter what, you always do what you got to do to try and win in whatever it is in life that you’re doing.”
