With his 25-game suspension behind him, Paul George said Tuesday he feels he’s in a “much better place.”
“I give my apologies to the city of Philadelphia, my family, my teammates, the organization, everybody that was affected through this suspension,” George said Tuesday to start a press conference at the Sixers’ training complex in Camden, New Jersey.
“Obviously, I own up to that as a leader of this group. … To let people down hurt more than anything, going through this process.“Shout out to the guys for having my back and supporting me through this time to where now things are on the positive side. Looking forward to tomorrow, being available and giving everything I’ve got.” George will play Wednesday night vs. the Bulls for the first time since Jan. 29. The Sixers went 13-12 in his absence and now sit at 39-33.“I won’t get into specifics on what it was,” George said. “That’s more on the personal side.” The 35-year-old forward indicated that physical frustrations impacted his mental health and led him to make a “poorly timed decision.”“Obviously, being a pro athlete takes a toll on you,” he said. “My body wasn’t where I wanted it to be and the expectation to perform … obviously, I’m going to have an expectation for myself. That’s what led to the poor decision at the time. 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 the moment.”George dealt with several nagging injuries , including to his left knee, left pinky and left adductor muscle. As the Sixers’ season slid off the rails, George confirmed last February thatHe was sidelined for the Sixers’ first 12 games. In their public messaging, the Sixers emphasized the importance of George strengthening the quadriceps muscles around his left knee before getting the green light to return. George was on track for an improved second season prior to the suspension. He’s averaged 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals over 27 games. George has shot 38.2 percent from three-point range and been a reliably good, versatile defender.“I’m in a much better place physically," George said. “From a personal standpoint, I’m really excited about that. These 25 games are just what I needed, I think, for my body to kind of heal and be in a better place. I’ve been feeling great. I’ve been feeling awesome on the court. So I’m looking forward to putting it to the test now.” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse did not just pay lip service to the notion that George would still be a “part of the team” during his suspension. Though George was prohibited from joining the Sixers at games, he was a constant at practices and shootarounds. The nine-time All-Star worked alongside young players like VJ Edgecombe, took jumpers, ran sprints on the side and even simulated opposing stars as the Sixers geared up for games. “I’ve been on the scout team helping guys prepare,” he said. “I’ve been Shai , I’ve been Luka , I’ve been you name it of guys we’ve played. … I’ve spent a lot of time in the weight room, conditioning, on the court, just staying in shape, staying sharp. On game days, helping VJ prepare, helping Justin prepare, helping Dalen prepare. And also trying to teach little things that they can take and put into their games. “So I’ve been very much a part of this group. I’ve been in film sessions, trying to be locked in, making sure the guys know what we’re doing out there. Just staying attentive and engaged as much as possible.” While George stayed involved throughout his suspension, he didn’t try to spin it as a pleasant experience. “Obviously, there was devastation there , especially with where we were at,” George said. “I believe we were the fifth seed and I think we had. We’d been playing really good basketball, so there was some devastation, just with the momentum that was being built. I think I was starting to trend in a better . My body was getting better and better over that time. “But the front office gave me full support, although from my point of view, I knew I let them down. They were there trying to pick me up and carry me along, reassuring me that we’ll get through this and this will be behind us. “And for me, the only way to pay it back is to just give everything once I get back out there. That’s what I’m excited for. Go out there and just give it everything.”
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