After serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, Sixers forward Paul George addressed the media Tuesday, ahead of his return to the court.
George was suspended on Jan. 31, ahead of the Sixers’ matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. In the 25 games he missed, the team went 13-12, overcoming not only George's absence but also the eventual absences of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Kelly Oubre.
To begin his meeting with the media, George apologized to
“I think first and foremost,” George began. “[I want to] give my apology to, obviously, the city of Philadelphia, my family, my teammates, the organization, everybody that was affected through this suspension.
“Obviously, to own up to that as a leader of this group and being brought here to be a leader and help bring that edge and a possibility and chance to win here. To let people down hurt more than kind of anything going through this process. But, shout out to the guys for having my back, for supporting me through this time to where now things are on the positive side and looking forward to tomorrow and being available and, you know, giving everything I got.”
As the presser continued, George would discuss a number of topics, ranging from his mental and physical health to his focus throughout the suspension and his readiness to return to action.
“I won't get into specifics on what it was,” George said. “That's more on a personal side.”
After a follow-up question, George admitted that he did not fully understand the consequences that would result from taking the banned substance.
When the announcement came forward in January, George referenced taking the substance for his mental health. Over the course of his career, especially the further he’s gone into it, George has often been open about his mental health and the challenges he’s faced.
“Good,” George replied when asked how he’s felt mentally. “Obviously, being a pro athlete takes a toll on you, and my body wasn't where I wanted it to be, and the expectation to perform because of my body not being where it needed to be, obviously, I'm going to have an expectation for myself, and that's what led to the poor decision at the time. But, again, I've said it throughout my career dealing with mental health, I'm no superhero. I'm a human, and I made a mistake in that moment.”
It’s worth noting the connection George drew between the physical and mental struggles he’s dealt with throughout the season. The mind and body are connected in such a way that the struggle of one can easily impact the status of the other.
George has dealt with multiple lower-body injuries since coming to Philadelphia and felt the effects of both those injuries and father time, but remains dedicated to contributing in any way he possibly can, even while suspended.
“I've been very much a part of this group,” George said. “I've been on the scout team, helping the guys prepare. I've been Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], I've been Luka [Doncic], I've been you name it, who we played. I've been that personnel for us to prepare for those games.
“I've spent a ton of time in the weight room, conditioning on the court, just staying in shape, staying sharp. On game days, helping VJ [Edgecombe] prepare, helping Justin [Edwards] prepare, Dalen [Terry] prepare, and also trying to teach little things that they can take and kind of put into their game. I’ve been very much part of this group. [In] film sessions, been trying to be locked in, making sure the guys know what we're doing out there. And, you know, just staying attentive and engaged as much as possible.”
“It's been tough, you know?” George said. “That was one of the toughest parts about it, to be able to do everything but attend games, because, again, I'm preparing as if I'm playing, so to speak, but then not to be able to be fully a part of the game and helping guys through the games, and seeing the game up close like that was hard.
“And a lot of it, we've been on road trips and having extended time being in the hotel room. You know, that was tough. But again, the guys did a great job of, kind of just keeping me a part of the group, keeping me engaged, and I guess making it as normal as possible.”
"I think they've been playing well. Give the young guys a ton of credit. Cam [Payne] has came in and gave us a big boost. Dalen's came in and gave us a big boost. VJ has stepped up. Quentin [Grimes] has stepped up. Justin has stepped up. Trendon [Watford]. So I'm looking forward to coming back to a group of guys that [is] confident, much more confident going forward, who has gotten a lot of game time and being put in difficult situations where they've had to figure it out, and they've done so.
"Now, to be back [and] implemented with the group, it’s only going to be good for us, I think. I’m in a much better place physically, so I'm, from a personal standpoint, really excited about that. This 25 games was just what I needed, I think, for my body to kind of heal and be in a better place. And I've been feeling great, I've been feeling awesome on the court. And so I'm looking forward to putting it to the test. "
"We're a game and a half back, I believe, from fifth. [We’re kind of in the] driver's seat to close out these last 10 games. Obviously, that's the goal, is to try to get the best seeding possible and get ourselves out of the play-in situation.
“So that's what I'm gearing for, is to take these last 10 games and use them as playoff games. Have that kind of mindset going into them that these are must-wins to solidify a great seed. We're still in a good position right now, so that's kind of how I'm looking at it."
"That’s kind of how I view it," George said of his return with Embiid, Maxey and Oubre still sidelined. "Just to be aggressive again, get back to, again, like I said earlier, I've been feeling great preparing and working out and staying in shape. I've been feeling great, feeling explosive again, feeling strong again. And so I feel like I'm back on that level of being able to perform and be the focal guy and be the scorer.
"So that's my mindset going into tomorrow, is to get back to being aggressive. Obviously, there will be some rust, with missing 25 games, especially in this part of the season where guys are playing playoff basketball, so to speak. So there will be a little rust but I'm just looking forward to just being full-fledged, thrown out there, being in the mix, and just being aggressive. Whatever happens, happens. But I'm looking to go out there and do what I do and do what I've done over my career."
"The knee is good,” George said. “The knee is, like I said, it’s in a better place. I feel confident in it. And so I'm ready to go. I feel good."
"Obviously, there was devastation there, especially with where we were at. I believe we were the fifth seed. I think we had just won a game against Sacramento or something like that. We'd been playing good basketball. So there was some devastation, just of the momentum that was being built. I think I was starting to train in a better place.
“My body was getting better and better over that time. But, again, the front office gave me full support, although from my point of view, I knew I let them down. They were there to kind of pick me up and carry me along the way, to reassure me that we'll get through this and this will be behind us. For me, the only way to pay it back is to just give it everything when I get back out there. And so that's been just what I've been trying to do, go out there and just give everything."
"It was extremely, extremely important,” George said. “I think they helped the process a lot for me to get through it, knowing that [I still had their support]. Because it wasn't easy. And I give them, again, a ton of credit for holding it down, continuing on.”
George went on to specifically praise rookie VJ Edgecombe and the other young Sixers, who have recently dealt with the brunt of supporting the team with four of the Sixers’ other starters out for various reasons.
“A lot of them are young guys, so to be thrown into, you know, having to do more and pick up pieces, especially for a guy like VJ, I give him a ton of credit. You know, he just put the team on his back, especially now with Tyrese [Maxey] and Joel [Embiid] being out.
“It meant a lot, and to have a good mix of young guys, veterans, Kyle [Lowry] was awesome for me to have him in my corner and to be that veteran presence, even for me, Tyrese, Joe, like all the guys, they've been supportive. So it made the process that much easier or better. None of it has been easy, but it made it better; knowing that once we get through this, we've got a ton of upside.”
"I'm in a better place,” George said. “Again, being a pro athlete, the most difficult thing is when your body isn't where you know it needs to be or where it once was. That leads and bleeds into the mental side of things, knowing that you're limited.
“But for me, if I feel good, my body is feeling great, mentally, I know I'm capable of doing what I can do and what I've been able to do on the court for years. The mental thing only comes from the physical side not being in a great place."
"I think for VJ, I’ve been trying to just help him develop with slowing the game down, picking and choosing spots, and just being at peace with his game, being under control. So over the past 25, especially the past 7-8 games, he just looks like the game is starting to slow down for him.
“He's starting to see things differently. He's getting to his spots. He's raising up, playing [comfortably] in the mid-range area, which we've worked a ton on. I see it.”
George continued, “It's fun for me to watch this process right now, because a lot of stuff that we've been working on, he's starting to pick it up, and it's starting to be like second nature. He’s just such a phenomenal athlete. I'm trying to incorporate how to use his athleticism as well as his patience and seeing the game differently.
“So it's been fun to watch, when I come back, [I just want to] piggyback on it, continue to tag on it. And for now, the work that we've been doing, for him to see it live, in live action, he's excited for me to come back, and I'm excited to play out there with him."
"I think just conditioning-wise, obviously, I've done a ton of cardio, but you can never simulate a game. So I think more so than anything it's just going to be the cardio, to actually come back fairly quick. But then, just timing. Obviously, we try to simulate as much as possible, game-like situations, but nothing's like a game until you're in it.
“So there will be some rust on reads, maybe on – again, hopefully it's not a fatigue thing, I feel like I'm in pretty good shape, so hopefully it's not a fatigue thing where my legs are feeling heavy or I'm a little sluggish – but, again, being out 25 games, I know that there's going to be some situations where, alright, I haven't played in 25 games. That read will get better, or that decision-making will get better, or that shot-making will get better. I won't put too much pressure on that. The only thing for me is just to go out there, play as hard as I can to kind of build towards better conditioning and cardio going forward down this last 10-game stretch."
Unless otherwise stated, all stats included in this article are via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass, Basketball Reference or Team Rankings. All salary information via Spotrac.
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