The last three years have been a whirlwind for San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green.
While most Spurs fans know Green from coming out of nowhere to become a starter for the top team in the Western Conference and contribute enough to be considered a breakout success, Green knows that it truly was a journey getting to where he is know, sitting with a guaranteed multi-year contract and having some stability and security for the first time in his NBA career.
Green was highly touted, especially for his defensive efforts, coming out of North Carolina and entering the NBA. But Green soon found out that an above average collegiate basketball resume, including a National Championship and ACC All-Defensive Team selection, was not enough to truly stick in this league.
After originally landing in Cleveland with the Cavs, he bounced around with two cuts from the Cavs, stints with the D-League’s Erie Bayhawks and Reno Bighorns, being signed, then cut by the Spurs and signing a contract with a Slovenian team during the lockout before making it through training camp back with the Spurs.
Bloguin’s own Brendan Bowers of Stepien Rules recently caught up with Green and talked to him about the process to finally being able to call San Antonio home.
“There was definitely a point in time where things were kinda shaky”, Green told StepienRules.com. “I was inconsistent, and I was losing confidence. That’s the biggest thing, lack of confidence was what got to me. Confidence can change a person’s whole character.”
Green also told Bowers about how an injury during a short season gave him the opportunity to prove himself.
“Somebody gets hurt, it’s a short season, lot of games in a lot of days, and I got a chance to play a little bit and I earned myself some minutes. Things turned out great for me. It’s a dream come true for me”, Green added. “It’s been a total 180 for me throughout the year. Coming from being cut by the Cleveland Cavaliers, being in the D-League, overseas, and then starting in the Western Conference Finals it was kinda crazy.”
Now Green, who many expected wouldn’t make it out of training camp last season, especially with some heavy competition at shooting guard and small forward, has earned a role and a contract that keeps him in the company of a few players he watched growing up.
“Playing with Tony, Timmy and Manu, guys that I’ve watched play growing up in middle school and high school, it was a dream come true. I couldn’t ask for a better situation, and better organization. I just talked to Pop, saw everybody in the gym, and they’re just a great group of guys. I love those guys. So I’m excited, it’s been a lot of fun, we had a great run, and hopefully we can come back next year and get over that hump.”
Green will likely have a big role in the Spurs trying to get over that hump, especially as Duncan, Parker and Ginobili get older.
Bouncing around the NBA, the D-League and overseas may not have been easy, but I’m sure Green would agree that it’s a small price to pay for getting the opportunity to battle aside three future Hall-of-Famers in an attempt to win this city and team their fifth NBA championship.
I’m guessing even Green’s “one shining moment” would have trouble standing up to that.
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