NBA History: Jumpin' Johnny Green

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When you think of longevity in basketball players that likely come to mind would be LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or John Stockton. But one underrated player who exemplified this theme throughout his career is Jumpin' Johnny Green. Due to his height being under 6 foot, he did not play high school basketball and worked various part time jobs after graduation prior to joining the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean war. He would grow to 6'5 at that time and stand out for his play on the base team. Word of his play got to Michigan State and he would go on to have a great career playing under Forddy Anderson. Due to his military service, Green did not get to start his NBA career until he was 26 in 1959 where he consistently achieved double-double statistics in most seasons with the New York Knicks. However, by 1969, at the age of 36, Green experienced a decline in his play level like many players. I find his story so fascinating in the sense that while it seemed as though his basketball career might come to an end, Green signed with the Cincinnati Royals and had some of his best seasons. The comeback resulted in him not only maintaining an average of nearly a double-double but he also led the league in field goal percentage for two consecutive years. Additionally, Green earned a spot in the 1971 All-Star Game. He retired in 1973 still playing nearly 20 minutes per game at the age of 39, cementing his legacy as a player who defied expectations and demonstrated outstanding longevity in the sport of basketball.

 

Photo from the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame Website.