Johnny Green (basketball) facts for kids
Green, circa 1964
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 8, 1933 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | November 16, 2023 (aged 89) Huntington, New York, U.S. |
| High school | Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Michigan State (1956–1959) |
| NBA Draft | 1959 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1959–1973 |
| Career history | |
| 1959–1965 | New York Knicks |
| 1965–1967 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1967–1968 | San Diego Rockets |
| 1968–1969 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1969–1973 | Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha Kings |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 12,281 (11.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 9,083 (8.6 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,449 (1.4 apg) |
John Michael "Jumpin' Johnny" Green (born December 8, 1933 – died November 16, 2023) was an American professional basketball player. He was famous for his amazing jumping ability and played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the pros, he played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. He was chosen as an All-American and later became a four-time NBA All-Star.
Early Life: A Late Start in Basketball
John Michael Green was born in Dayton, Ohio, on December 8, 1933. He went to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. Interestingly, Johnny was not very tall in high school and didn't even play basketball!
After high school, he worked different jobs, including at a construction company. When he was 20, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. It was during his time in the military that something amazing happened: he grew from under six feet tall to 6-foot-5! He started playing basketball on his military base team.
A football coach on the Marine base, Dick Evans, noticed Johnny's athletic talent. He wrote a letter to the Michigan State University basketball coach, Forddy Anderson, recommending Johnny. At 21 years old, Johnny visited Michigan State while on leave from the Marines.
College Career: Becoming a Star at Michigan State
After finishing his time in the military, Johnny Green enrolled at Michigan State in 1955. He played on the freshman team first. He became eligible to play for the main varsity team in January 1957, when he was 23.
Setting Records and Earning Honors
In his first season, Johnny played in 18 games as a power forward. He set a new Michigan State record for rebounding, grabbing 14.6 rebounds per game. The Spartans became Big Ten champions that year. They even made it to the NCAA tournament semifinal game. They lost a very close game in triple overtime to North Carolina, but Johnny had an incredible 19 rebounds and eight blocked shots!
As a junior in 1957–58, Johnny's rebounding got even better, averaging 17.8 rebounds per game. He also scored 18.0 points per game. Because of his great play, he was named a second-team All-American by several groups. An All-American is a player considered one of the best in the country.
In his final college season (1958–59), he helped the Spartans win another Big Ten title. He averaged 18.5 points and 16.6 rebounds per game. He was again named an All-American, this time as a first-team selection by some groups and second-team by others.
Leaving a Legacy at Michigan State
Johnny Green's average of 16.4 rebounds per game throughout his college career is one of the best in Big Ten history. He is still third on the Spartans' all-time rebounding list with 1,036 rebounds, even though he played less than three full seasons. He also scored 1,062 points, averaging 16.9 points per game.
Michigan State honored Johnny by naming an annual rebounding award after him. His jersey number 24 was also retired by the university, meaning no other player will wear that number. He was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.
Professional Career: "Jumpin' Johnny" in the NBA
Johnny Green was chosen as a first-round draft pick (fifth overall) by the New York Knicks in the 1959 NBA draft. This was the start of his long professional career.
New York Knicks: A Rising Star
In his first season (1959–60) with the Knicks, Johnny averaged 7.0 points and 7.8 rebounds. On February 26, 1960, he set a Knicks rookie record with 25 rebounds in one game, a record that still stands!
His playing time and performance grew each year. In 1961–62, he became a full-time starter, averaging 15.9 points and 13.3 rebounds. He led the team in rebounds and was chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game. He even set a Knicks record by having three games in a row with 20 or more rebounds.
In 1962–63, Johnny had his highest scoring average of his career, with 18.1 points per game, along with 12.1 rebounds. He was named an NBA All-Star for the second time. He continued to lead the Knicks in rebounding for three seasons in a row. In 1964–65, he was named an NBA All-Star for the third time.
Moving Teams: Baltimore, San Diego, Philadelphia
In 1965, after seven games with the Knicks, Johnny was traded to the Baltimore Bullets. He continued to play well, and his .536 field goal percentage (how often he made his shots) was second best in the league that season.
In 1967, he was drafted by the San Diego Rockets in the NBA expansion draft. Later that season, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He played fewer minutes with the 76ers, but still contributed to the team.
A Career Comeback with the Cincinnati Royals
After 10 seasons, it seemed Johnny Green's NBA career might be ending. However, in September 1969, he called Bob Cousy, the coach of the Cincinnati Royals, and asked for a tryout. He signed with the Royals and had an amazing comeback season in 1969–70!
He became a starter again, averaging 15.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He also led the entire NBA in field goal percentage, making 55.9% of his shots.
His comeback continued in 1970–71. Even at 37 years old, he again led the NBA in field goal percentage at .587! He averaged 16.7 points and 8.7 rebounds and was named an NBA All-Star for the fourth time in his career. He even scored a career-high 39 points in one game.
He continued to play well in 1971–72, playing in all 82 games of the season. The next season (1972–73), the Royals team moved and became the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. Johnny, even at 39, was still an important player, and this was his final NBA season.
Over his 14-year career, Johnny Green scored 12,281 points and grabbed 9,083 rebounds. He averaged 11.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
After Basketball
After his successful basketball career, Johnny Green went into the restaurant business. He owned one of the most popular McDonald's restaurants in the world, located in Springfield Gardens, New York, near John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Johnny Green lived in Dix Hills, New York. He passed away at a hospital in Huntington, New York, on November 16, 2023, at the age of 89.
See also
In Spanish: Johnny Green para niños
- List of National Basketball Association season field goal percentage leaders
