As a first-time NBA champion following the Nuggets’ NBA Finals victory, Jeff Green deservedly spent Thursday living it up during the team’s championship parade.
But, even amid all the excitement, the former first-round pick made sure to shout out the team and city where it all began 16 years ago.
The 36-year-old Green paid homage to his first NBA home, Seattle, by wearing a hat adorned with a logo of the now-defunct Supersonics, who have been the Thunder since 2008. The franchise acquired the then-21-year-old former Georgetown standout in a famous draft-day trade with the Celtics in 2007, a year before the Sonics relocated to Oklahoma City.
New NBA champ Uncle Jeff Green wore a Sonics lid for the Nuggets Parade today. 🔥
— Iconic Sonics (@Iconic_sonics) June 15, 2023
That’s true 206 love 💚💛🏆 pic.twitter.com/dUoKBpyRQj
Long before he became known as Uncle Jeff, Green earned a reputation as a key weapon alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, averaging 14.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game with the Sonics/Thunder from ’07 to early 2011.
Unfortunately, Green, who was traded to Boston in February 2011, faced a major setback in January 2012 when he underwent open-heart surgery.
After missing the entire 2011–12 season, Green returned to start the following season and went on to play for nine teams over the next 10 years before joining Denver in August 2021. Now, Green, after playing in over 1,200 career games, can finally say he’s an NBA champion.
“Man, I can’t even put it into words. This is what you live for, all the sacrifice, all the blood, sweat and tears—the countless hours.” Green told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt following Denver’s closeout Game 5 victory on Monday. “For me, going through the surgery, 11 teams, adapted to every environment, this is what it was all for. All that sacrifice, it paid off.”
Jeff Green repping the Seattle Super Sonics, where it all started 16 years ago #bRINGItIn pic.twitter.com/FstYCnc6QJ
— Sean English (@bighoneydrizzle) June 15, 2023
