Three-time NBA champion guard Danny Green is announcing his retirement from the league. After playing 15 seasons in the NBA, Green is calling it quits.
He is one of four players in history to win championships with three different teams throughout his career. NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news on social media.
After 15 NBA seasons, Danny Green says he is retiring. Green, who’s announcing the retirement on his podcast Thursday, is one of four players in NBA history to win championships with three different teams (2014 with Spurs, 2019 with Raptors, 2020 with Lakers). pic.twitter.com/d2mIOG62lh
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 10, 2024
Green played his college basketball at the University of North Carolina from 2005-09. He helped the Tar Heels win the NCAA Championship during the 2009 season, his final year with the program.
Upon entering the NBA, Green didn’t have strong prospects but was good enough to at least be drafted to show what he could do. He was taken in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
At pick No. 46, nobody expected Green to carve out the type of career that he saw. He eventually landed with the San Antonio Spurs, becoming a starting guard for them during the 2011-12 season.
Green became a staple with San Antonio, helping them to become one of the more dominant teams during his tenure. He was part of the 2014 Spurs roster that won the NBA title, taking down the Miami Heat.
He remained with San Antonio until after the 2018 season when he and star forward Kawhi Leonard were traded to the Toronto Raptors. In Toronto, Green helped lead the Raptors to their first-ever NBA title, winning his second-ever championship in the league.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 22: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers spins for a shot in front of Danny Green #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 112-102 Clipper win in the LA Clippers season home opener at Staples Center on October 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Green is retiring from the NBA.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
After Leonard departed Toronto the following summer, Green followed suit. He headed to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he signed a two-year, $30 million contract.
With Green on the roster, the Lakers team was taken to new heights around stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Much like in 2019, Green was a key player in helping the Lakers capture their 17th NBA title and the third of his career.
With the championship win in Los Angeles, Green became one of only four players in NBA history to win championships with three different teams, joining James, John Salley, and Robert Horry.
But despite the success, Green was traded away in the offseason. He was moved to the Oklahoma City Thunder but never played a game for the franchise.
He landed with the Philadelphia 76ers to provide them with veteran experience and more 3-point shooting. Green played two seasons in Philadelphia before injuries fully derailed the final years of his career.
The veteran bounced around the league, having stints with the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers. He also rejoined the 76ers for a final run but was waived shortly after the season started.
He finishes his long NBA career having seen some major success. Green averaged 8.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting an average of 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line for his career.
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