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Jeff Green (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Lynn Green is an American professional basketball
player with the Boston Celtics
of the National Basketball Association
. Green attended Georgetown University
until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft
. He was selected fifth overall by the Boston Celtics
, and was subsequently traded to the Seattle SuperSonics
in a trade including Ray Allen
. The SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma following his rookie year and became the Oklahoma City Thunder
. On February 24, 2011, Green was traded along with Nenad Krstić
and a future first round draft pick to the Boston Celtics for Kendrick Perkins
and Nate Robinson
.
to Jeffrey Green Sr. and Felicia Akingube. He attended Northwestern High School
in Hyattsville
, Maryland, where he led the NHS Wildcats to the state basketball championship in 2004.
Green was recruited to Georgetown University
by coach Craig Esherick
in 2003. However, Esherick was fired before Green arrived on campus and John Thompson III
was hired as the new coach. The two top recruits of Esherick's tenure, Green and center Roy Hibbert
, would be the key components of Thompson's future success.
Standing 6'9", Green played forward under Coach John Thompson III
. He was the captain of the squad. Thompson stated in a Sports Illustrated
interview: "You'll stop and think when I say this, but it's true: Jeff Green is the smartest player I've ever coached. You would know this better than most: that's a hell of a statement."
In Georgetown's upset victory over top-ranked and undefeated Duke University
in 2006, Green played a pivotal role. During the 2006–2007 season, Green hit game-winning shots in the final seconds of multiple games, including a game-winning shot against Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. With the Hoyas down one, Green beat a double-team and hit a shot with 2.5 seconds left in the game.
Jeff Green won the 2005 Big East
Rookie of the Year award along with Rudy Gay
of the University of Connecticut
. In addition, Green was named to the All-Big East Second Team in 2006 along with teammate Roy Hibbert
. In 2007, Green and teammate Roy Hibbert were unanimous selections to the All-Big East First Team. After his 30-point performance in the 2007 Big East Tournament
semi-final against Notre Dame
and his 21-point performance in the championship against the Pittsburgh
, Green was also named Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 Big East Tournament
as the Hoyas went on to claim their first Big East title since 1989.
Green was named the 2007 Big East Player of the Year. Jeff Green led the Hoyas on an impressive, relentless run to the Final Four in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, beating Belmont and Boston College in the first two rounds. Green would be remembered for beating Vanderbilt off a game-winning shot in the game's closing seconds as well as fearlessly leading the Hoyas to victory against #1 seed UNC, in a stunning second-half comeback victory and bringing the Hoyas back to their first Final Four since Patrick Ewing
led them to the 1985 National Championship game. The Hoyas eventually lost to Greg Oden
and the Ohio State Buckeyes, bringing the Hoyas' remarkable title run to a close, as well as Jeff Green's collegiate playing career, as he would forgo his senior year and enter the NBA Draft.
by the Boston Celtics
. He was later involved in a blockbuster trade that sent veteran guard Ray Allen
along with the fifth pick in the second round (#35 overall, LSU Tigers
' Glen Davis
) to the Boston Celtics
in exchange for Wally Szczerbiak
, Delonte West
, the 5th overall selection and a future second-round selection to the Seattle SuperSonics
. Since the deal was not made prior to the 2:00 pm deadline, the Celtics chose Green for the Sonics' with the fifth overall pick. Green shortly after signed a deal to be represented by David Falk
, the agent
of Michael Jordan
, and became the first player to sign with Falk since John Lucas III in 2005.
After trading Ray Allen
and drafting Kevin Durant
, it was clear the Supersonics were in rebuilding mode. After talks of a new arena in Seattle broke down, it was evident that a big change was coming. The Supersonics finished the season at 20-62. Green had a productive rookie season, making the NBA All-Rookie First Team along with teammate Kevin Durant
. Green averaged 10.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists and started 52 games. He also played in the 2009 Rookie-Sophomore Challenge where he scored 13 points and snagged 2 steals in the Sophomores' win.
After the season, the Supersonics were sold and moved to Oklahoma City
to become the Thunder. Green wore the number 22, the same number he wore with the Sonics. The first season in Oklahoma City would be tough as the team did not have immediate success. The Thunder made big splashes in the draft, drafting Russell Westbrook
and Serge Ibaka
. Green also made a big improvement from his rookie season, averaging 16.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and a steal a game. The Thunder struggled to 23-59, leading to the firing of coach P. J. Carlesimo in the middle of the season.
The Thunder again made big splashes in the NBA draft, this time drafting James Harden
, and trading for rookie Eric Maynor
as well as defensive minded guard Thabo Sefolosha
. The Thunder had a big year and rebounded from years of losing. Green started in all 82 regular season games and averaged 15.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals and about a block a game. The Thunder finished a 50-32 and became the eighth seed in the playoffs, where they met Kobe Bryant
and the Los Angeles Lakers
. The Thunder were eventually eliminated 4-2. Green averaged 11.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in the series.
After such a good season expectations rose for the young Thunder bunch. However, the Thunder felt they lacked a interior presence and traded Green to the Boston Celtics
, who initially drafted Green. Green was sent to Boston along with teammate Nenad Krstic
and a Los Angeles Clippers
2012 first round pick for Kendrick Perkins
and Nate Robinson
.
or Paul Pierce
. Green struggled getting acclimated with his new team. After averaging 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists in Oklahoma City
, Green only averaged 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and .7 assists in Boston
. Green saw a big drop in minutes per game as well, dropping from 37.0 minutes to 23.4 minutes. The Celtics had a good year, making it to the playoffs as the number three seed in the Eastern Conference. They swept the New York Knicks
in the first round. In the next round, however, they were later eliminated by LeBron James
, Dwyane Wade
and the Miami Heat
. Green became a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Seattle
| 80 || 52 || 28.2 || .427 || .276 || .744 || 4.7 || 1.5 || .6 || .6 || 10.5
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 78 || 77 || 36.8 || .446 || .389 || .788 || 6.6 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .4 || 16.5
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 82 || 82 || 37.1 || .453 || .333 || .740 || 6.0 || 1.6 || 1.3 || .9 || 15.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 49 || 49 || 37.0 || .437 || .304 || .818 || 5.6 || 1.8 || .8 || .4 || 15.2
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Boston
| 26 || 2 || 23.4 || .485 || .296 || .794 || 3.3 || .7 || .5 || .6 || 9.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 315 || 263 || 33.6 || .445 || .337 || .773 || 5.5 || 1.6 || .9 || .6 || 13.9
| align="left" | 2010
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 6 || 6 || 37.3 || .329 || .296 || .850 || 4.7 || 1.7 || .7 || .5 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | Boston
| 9 || 0 || 19.2 || .434 || .438 || .722 || 2.7 || .2 || .6 || .4 || 7.3
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 15 || 6 || 26.4 || .374 || .349 || .789 || 3.5 || .8 || .6 || .5 || 9.1
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. Green attended Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
. He was selected fifth overall by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, and was subsequently traded to the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in a trade including Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
. The SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma following his rookie year and became the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
. On February 24, 2011, Green was traded along with Nenad Krstić
Nenad Krstic
Nenad Krstić is a Serbian professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow. Krstić is officially listed at 7'0" tall.-KK Partizan:...
and a future first round draft pick to the Boston Celtics for Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA....
and Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson
Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder...
.
Early years
Jeff Green was born in Cheverly, MarylandCheverly, Maryland
Cheverly is a town in central Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., United States. The town was founded in 1918 and it was incorporated in 1931. Cheverly had 6,433 residents as of the 2000 Census....
to Jeffrey Green Sr. and Felicia Akingube. He attended Northwestern High School
Northwestern High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)
Northwestern High School , established in 1951, is a public comprehensive secondary school located in Hyattsville, Maryland in Prince George's County, less than a mile from the internationally known University of Maryland, College Park. It is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system...
in Hyattsville
Hyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
, Maryland, where he led the NHS Wildcats to the state basketball championship in 2004.
Green was recruited to Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
by coach Craig Esherick
Craig Esherick
Craig Esherick is an assistant professor of sport management for George Mason University and color commentator for college basketball games. He was formerly the head coach of the Georgetown University men's basketball team and assistant basketball coach and scout for the 1988 U.S...
in 2003. However, Esherick was fired before Green arrived on campus and John Thompson III
John Thompson III
John Thompson III is the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Georgetown University. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and was named first team All-Metro by The Washington Post while playing for Gonzaga College High School in 1984. Thompson was hired on April 20, 2004 to replace Craig...
was hired as the new coach. The two top recruits of Esherick's tenure, Green and center Roy Hibbert
Roy Hibbert
Roy Denzil Hibbert is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He plays at the center position, and graduated from Georgetown University in 2008. He was drafted 17th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors and was immediately traded to the Pacers...
, would be the key components of Thompson's future success.
Standing 6'9", Green played forward under Coach John Thompson III
John Thompson III
John Thompson III is the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Georgetown University. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and was named first team All-Metro by The Washington Post while playing for Gonzaga College High School in 1984. Thompson was hired on April 20, 2004 to replace Craig...
. He was the captain of the squad. Thompson stated in a Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
interview: "You'll stop and think when I say this, but it's true: Jeff Green is the smartest player I've ever coached. You would know this better than most: that's a hell of a statement."
In Georgetown's upset victory over top-ranked and undefeated Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in 2006, Green played a pivotal role. During the 2006–2007 season, Green hit game-winning shots in the final seconds of multiple games, including a game-winning shot against Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. With the Hoyas down one, Green beat a double-team and hit a shot with 2.5 seconds left in the game.
Jeff Green won the 2005 Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
Rookie of the Year award along with Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay
Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies...
of the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
. In addition, Green was named to the All-Big East Second Team in 2006 along with teammate Roy Hibbert
Roy Hibbert
Roy Denzil Hibbert is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He plays at the center position, and graduated from Georgetown University in 2008. He was drafted 17th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors and was immediately traded to the Pacers...
. In 2007, Green and teammate Roy Hibbert were unanimous selections to the All-Big East First Team. After his 30-point performance in the 2007 Big East Tournament
Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
The Big East Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in men's basketball for the Big East Conference. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. Since 1983, the tournament has been held in Madison Square...
semi-final against Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
and his 21-point performance in the championship against the Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, Green was also named Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 Big East Tournament
Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
The Big East Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in men's basketball for the Big East Conference. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. Since 1983, the tournament has been held in Madison Square...
as the Hoyas went on to claim their first Big East title since 1989.
Green was named the 2007 Big East Player of the Year. Jeff Green led the Hoyas on an impressive, relentless run to the Final Four in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, beating Belmont and Boston College in the first two rounds. Green would be remembered for beating Vanderbilt off a game-winning shot in the game's closing seconds as well as fearlessly leading the Hoyas to victory against #1 seed UNC, in a stunning second-half comeback victory and bringing the Hoyas back to their first Final Four since Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
led them to the 1985 National Championship game. The Hoyas eventually lost to Greg Oden
Greg Oden
Gregory Wayne Oden, Jr. is an American basketball player at the center position. Oden is a member of the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA....
and the Ohio State Buckeyes, bringing the Hoyas' remarkable title run to a close, as well as Jeff Green's collegiate playing career, as he would forgo his senior year and enter the NBA Draft.
Seattle Supersonics/Oklahoma City Thunder
On June 28, 2007, Green was taken 5th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. He was later involved in a blockbuster trade that sent veteran guard Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
along with the fifth pick in the second round (#35 overall, LSU Tigers
LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers are the athletic teams of Louisiana State University. They participate in the NCAA's Division I, in the Southeastern Conference. It fields teams in 14 varsity sports . Its official team nickname is the Fighting Tigers and the school mascot is Mike the Tiger...
' Glen Davis
Glen Davis (basketball)
Ronald Glen Davis , commonly known as Glen Davis and by his nickname Big Baby, is an American basketball player who last played for the NBA's Boston Celtics...
) to the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in exchange for Wally Szczerbiak
Wally Szczerbiak
Walter Robert "Wally" Szczerbiak is an American former professional basketball player.-Early life:Szczerbiak was born in Madrid, Spain, while his father Walter was playing for Real Madrid, and spent much of his childhood in Europe during his father's playing career...
, Delonte West
Delonte West
Delonte Maurice West is an American professional basketball player who last played with the Boston Celtics of the NBA.-High school career:...
, the 5th overall selection and a future second-round selection to the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. Since the deal was not made prior to the 2:00 pm deadline, the Celtics chose Green for the Sonics' with the fifth overall pick. Green shortly after signed a deal to be represented by David Falk
David Falk
David B. Falk is an American sports agent who primarily works with basketball players in the National Basketball Association. Falk began his career representing professional tennis players for Donald Dell's ProServ and is best known for representing sports icon Michael Jordan for the entirety of...
, the agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
of Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, and became the first player to sign with Falk since John Lucas III in 2005.
After trading Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
and drafting Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
, it was clear the Supersonics were in rebuilding mode. After talks of a new arena in Seattle broke down, it was evident that a big change was coming. The Supersonics finished the season at 20-62. Green had a productive rookie season, making the NBA All-Rookie First Team along with teammate Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
. Green averaged 10.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists and started 52 games. He also played in the 2009 Rookie-Sophomore Challenge where he scored 13 points and snagged 2 steals in the Sophomores' win.
After the season, the Supersonics were sold and moved to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
to become the Thunder. Green wore the number 22, the same number he wore with the Sonics. The first season in Oklahoma City would be tough as the team did not have immediate success. The Thunder made big splashes in the draft, drafting Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
and Serge Ibaka
Serge Ibaka
Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila , commonly referred to as Serge Ibaka, is a professional Spanish basketball player of Congolese origin, playing the power forward position for Real Madrid of the Liga ACB. He is also under contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, but is playing in Spain because...
. Green also made a big improvement from his rookie season, averaging 16.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and a steal a game. The Thunder struggled to 23-59, leading to the firing of coach P. J. Carlesimo in the middle of the season.
The Thunder again made big splashes in the NBA draft, this time drafting James Harden
James Harden
James Harden may refer to:*James Harden , Northern Irish politician*James Harden , Professional basketball player for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder...
, and trading for rookie Eric Maynor
Eric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
as well as defensive minded guard Thabo Sefolosha
Thabo Sefolosha
Thabo Patrick Sefolosha is a Swiss professional basketball shooting guard who plays for Fenerbahçe Ülker in Turkey. He is also under contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, but is playing overseas because of the 2011 NBA lockout....
. The Thunder had a big year and rebounded from years of losing. Green started in all 82 regular season games and averaged 15.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals and about a block a game. The Thunder finished a 50-32 and became the eighth seed in the playoffs, where they met Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
and the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. The Thunder were eventually eliminated 4-2. Green averaged 11.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in the series.
After such a good season expectations rose for the young Thunder bunch. However, the Thunder felt they lacked a interior presence and traded Green to the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, who initially drafted Green. Green was sent to Boston along with teammate Nenad Krstic
Nenad Krstic
Nenad Krstić is a Serbian professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow. Krstić is officially listed at 7'0" tall.-KK Partizan:...
and a Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
2012 first round pick for Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA....
and Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson
Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder...
.
Boston Celtics
In Boston, Green was thought of being a future replacement for aging All-Stars Kevin GarnettKevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
or Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...
. Green struggled getting acclimated with his new team. After averaging 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Green only averaged 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and .7 assists in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Green saw a big drop in minutes per game as well, dropping from 37.0 minutes to 23.4 minutes. The Celtics had a good year, making it to the playoffs as the number three seed in the Eastern Conference. They swept the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the first round. In the next round, however, they were later eliminated by LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
and the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. Green became a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Seattle
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
| 80 || 52 || 28.2 || .427 || .276 || .744 || 4.7 || 1.5 || .6 || .6 || 10.5
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
| 78 || 77 || 36.8 || .446 || .389 || .788 || 6.6 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .4 || 16.5
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 82 || 82 || 37.1 || .453 || .333 || .740 || 6.0 || 1.6 || 1.3 || .9 || 15.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 49 || 49 || 37.0 || .437 || .304 || .818 || 5.6 || 1.8 || .8 || .4 || 15.2
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
| 26 || 2 || 23.4 || .485 || .296 || .794 || 3.3 || .7 || .5 || .6 || 9.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 315 || 263 || 33.6 || .445 || .337 || .773 || 5.5 || 1.6 || .9 || .6 || 13.9
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
| 6 || 6 || 37.3 || .329 || .296 || .850 || 4.7 || 1.7 || .7 || .5 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
| 9 || 0 || 19.2 || .434 || .438 || .722 || 2.7 || .2 || .6 || .4 || 7.3
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 15 || 6 || 26.4 || .374 || .349 || .789 || 3.5 || .8 || .6 || .5 || 9.1