Gerald Green: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
| weight_lb = 210 |
| weight_lb = 210 |
||
| league = |
| league = |
||
| team = [[ |
| team = [[Dallas Mavericks]] |
||
| nationality = [[United States|American]] |
| nationality = [[United States|American]] |
||
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|26}} |
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|26}} |
||
Revision as of 22:40, 4 July 2008
| Dallas Mavericks | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard/Small forward |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 26, 1986 Houston, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Gulf Shores Academy |
| NBA draft | 2005: 18th overall |
| Selected by the Boston Celtics | |
| Playing career | 2005–present |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| 2004 ABCD All-Star Camp MVP, 2005 McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Contest Champion, 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion | |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Gerald Green, Jr. (born January 26 1986 in Houston, Texas) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks. He was drafted by the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Boston Celtics with the 18th pick of the first round in the 2005 NBA Draft. He has performed well in many slam dunk competitions, having won the 2005 McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Contest and the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, while finishing as the runner-up in the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.[1]
High school career
Green did not play high school basketball until his sophomore year, when he played junior varsity for J.Frank Dobie High School. In his junior year he made the varsity team, but his play was cut short because of academic issues.
He transferred to a charter school, Gulf Shores Academy in Houston, where he repeated his junior year. In his senior year at Gulf Shores, he averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocked shots per game. He was named an All-American was the game's high scorer with 24 points in the 2005 McDonald's All-American game[2], which features two teams composed of the best high school basketball players in the US. Green also won the McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Contest that year, defeating future Duke player Josh McRoberts.
NBA
Draft
Green originally committed to attending Oklahoma State University, but later decided to enter the NBA Draft upon graduation. He hired an agent, thereby making himself ineligible to participate in NCAA athletics. Green was expected by many analysts to be one of the top few players chosen but he fell to the Celtics, who selected him with the 18th pick in the draft. His fall is attributed to his decision to give individual work outs only for the teams with the top six picks prior to the draft.
Green drew comparisons to former Houston Rockets teammate & superstar Tracy McGrady in the period leading up to the 2005 NBA Draft.[1]
Green was one of the last players to enter the NBA directly from high school, as the collective bargaining agreement between NBA owners and the NBA Players' Association now mandates that American players who enter the NBA Draft must be at least one year removed from the graduation of their high school class and reach age 19 no later than December 31 of the calendar year of the draft.
2005-2006
During the pre-season, Green averaged 8 points and 1.3 rebounds per game for the Celtics in the 2005 Las Vegas Summer League.[3]
After seeing limited playing time during the first part of the season, Green was placed on the Fayetteville Patriots of the NBA D-League by the Celtics in January of 2006. He was recalled and activated to an NBA roster position on February 3. He was reassigned to the NBDL, to the Florida Flame, on February 16. He was recalled and activated again on February 21, and saw his first significant NBA game action on the following night, scoring 13 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in 23 minutes.
He appeared in 32 games and averaged 11.8 minutes, 5.2 points, and 1.2 rebounds during these contests. Gerald Green left marks on the league with his highlight plays including a shot clock beating half court three against Indiana and two Sports Center top play dunks in the closing seconds in two games against Toronto.
2006-2007
Over the off-season, Green aimed at improving all aspects of his game in order to gain playing time. He had shown flashes of his capability during the end of the 2005-2006 season, but started off the 2006-2007 season slowly, earning a somewhat limited role and playing time behind captain Paul Pierce, and swingman Wally Szczerbiak. With injuries to Szczerbiak and Pierce, his playing time increased, but he has been unable to nail down a starting role. Green started his first ever game early December against the Philadelphia 76ers, but then lost his job to a returning Szczerbiak. Green finished the 2006-07 season averaging 10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.
On February 17, 2007, Green won the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, beating out Nate Robinson, Tyrus Thomas, and Dwight Howard.
The season was going very well for Green, on April 10, 2007, Green scored a career high 33 points (12-22 FG, 4-5 3FG) at Atlanta.
On July 31, 2007 it was made official that Green was to be traded along with Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and draft picks, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett.[4]
2007-2008
At Minnesota, Green found himself stuck on the bench behind a number of players at his same position. In early January 2008, Green's agent asked the Timberwolves to trade his client.[5]
At the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Green opened the competition with a dunk he called "The Birthday Cake" in which he blew out a birthday candle on a cupcake set on the back of the rim while dunking. He followed that up with an alley-oop two-handed windmill. His first dunk of the second round was an alley-oop from behind the basket which he put between his legs before dunking. His final dunk of the night was a between-the-legs one-handed slam that he performed after taking off his shoes. He ended up finishing second to Dwight Howard, after Howard received seventy-eight percent of the votes cast by fans through text message.[6][7]
On February 21 2008, Green was traded to his hometown team Houston Rockets for Kirk Snyder, a second round draft pick, and cash considerations. He was subsequently released by the Rockets on March 8th[8] and will become an unrestricted free agent in July.
Green's career up to this point has been marred by his lack of intensity. He has placed himself in a class with several other NBA athletes as a young player with great potential but lackluster mental intensity.
Green spends most of his off time in Houston working out with former NBA head coach John Lucas. He is considering participating in the 2008 Las Vegas summer league.
On July 1 2008, Gerald Green signed with the Dallas Mavericks. His agent Colin Bryant told Fox 26 Sports, "We have a verbal agreement with Dallas on a one year contract, We talked to a number of teams and there is more money out there, but this is the best situation for Gerald at this point in his career."[9]
Awards
- 2005 McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Contest winner
- 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner
- 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest runner-up
Miscellanea
- Has a 48-inch vertical leap.[10]
- At the Celtics practice facility, caught and dunked a basketball bounced off of the 1986 championship banner, which is approximately 30 feet in the air.[11]
- Owns three dogs, one named Joker.[12]
- Prior to the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Reebok began a promotional campaign called "The Gerald Green Show" in which posters and tshirts were distributed promoting Green. Green wore special Reebok Pump sneakers at the contest.[13]
- Has part of his ring finger amputated.
- Has a contract with Reebok
Notes
- ^ a b Robinson, Jon (2005-09-29). "Gerald Green: Color of Money". IGN. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ NBADraft.net | 2005 McDonald's All-American Game Recap
- ^ Boston Celtics summer league statistics
- ^ Garnett deal finalized - BostonHerald.com
- ^ Green wants a trade
- ^ Howard ends Green’s reign - BostonHerald.com
- ^ http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/tnt/allstar/nba_dunk_best_021708.asx
- ^ Rockets Sign Mike Harris to 10-Day Contract
- ^ [1]
- ^ SouthCoastToday.com - Sports - Green hoping to hit a grand slam in dunk contest - February 17, 2007
- ^ Green will show his All-Star stuff - The Boston Globe
- ^ Right from school to work - The Boston Globe
- ^ http://celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/view.bg?articleid=183118
External links
- 1986 births
- American basketball players
- African American sportspeople
- Boston Celtics players
- Minnesota Timberwolves players
- Houston Rockets players
- Living people
- McDonald's High School All-Americans
- National Basketball Association high school draftees
- People from Houston, Texas
- Shooting guards
- Small forwards
- NBA Slam Dunk Contest champions