Si Green facts for kids
Green with the Chicago Packers, c. 1962
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 20, 1933 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | October 4, 1980 (aged 47) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| High school | Boys (Brooklyn, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Duquesne (1953–1956) |
| NBA Draft | 1956 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall |
| Selected by the Rochester Royals | |
| Pro career | 1956–1967 |
| Career history | |
| 1956–1957 | Rochester Royals |
| 1957–1958 | Easton Madisons |
| 1958–1959 | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1959–1961 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1961–1965 | Chicago Packers / Zephyrs / Baltimore Bullets |
| 1965 | Boston Celtics |
| 1965–1966 | New Haven Elms |
| 1966–1967 | Wilmington Jets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 4,636 (9.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,152 (4.3 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,655 (3.2 apg) |
Sihugo "Si" Green (born August 20, 1933 – died October 4, 1980) was a talented American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Duquesne Dukes. Si Green was chosen as the very first pick in the 1956 NBA draft by the Rochester Royals. This made him a top player right from the start!
Contents
Si Green's College Basketball Journey
Si Green went to Boys High School in Brooklyn, New York. There, he played basketball for Coach Mickey Fisher.
Playing for the Duquesne Dukes
Green then played for Duquesne University from 1953 to 1956. He was a star player alongside his teammate Dick Ricketts.
Sophomore Season Success
In his second year (1953–1954), Green scored about 13.4 points and grabbed 8.2 rebounds per game. His team, the Dukes, had a great record of 26 wins and only 3 losses. They reached the finals of the 1954 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). They lost to Holy Cross, a team with future Hall of Famer Tommy Heinsohn.
Winning the NIT Championship
During the 1954–1955 season, Green's performance was even better. He averaged 22.0 points and 13.6 rebounds. The Dukes won the 1955 National Invitation Tournament! In the final game, on March 20, 1955, Duquesne beat the Dayton Flyers 70–58. The game was played in front of a huge crowd at Madison Square Garden. Green was amazing, scoring 33 points, and Dick Ricketts added 23 points.
Senior Year and Continued Excellence
As a senior in 1955–1956, Green averaged 24.5 points and 13.2 rebounds. Even after Dick Ricketts graduated, the Dukes still had a good season. They won 7 of their last 8 games. They made it to the quarterfinals of the 1956 National Invitation Tournament. They lost to Louisville, who went on to win the championship.
Si Green's Professional Basketball Career
Si Green was a 6-foot-2-inch guard-forward. On April 30, 1956, he was chosen as the first overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft. The Rochester Royals picked him, even over Bill Russell. Russell was a star center from the University of San Francisco. The St. Louis Hawks chose Russell right after Green. The Hawks then traded Russell to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics and Russell went on to win 11 NBA titles in 13 years!
Early NBA Years and Military Service
As a rookie in the 1956–1957 season, Green played 14 games for the Royals. He averaged 11.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. He also played some games for the Easton Madisons in another league. Green then missed the next NBA season. He was serving in the U.S. Army. While in the Army, he played on a Fort Dix team that won the U.S. Army championship.
Playing for the St. Louis Hawks
On January 14, 1959, Green was traded to the St. Louis Hawks. He had been averaging 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He played four seasons for the Hawks. During his time there, he averaged 6.9 points and 4.4 rebounds.
Moving to Chicago and Baltimore
On November 21, 1961, Green was traded again. This time, he went from the St. Louis Hawks to the Chicago Packers. He played 57 games with Chicago that season. He averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. He later played for the Baltimore Bullets, as the Chicago team changed names.
Joining the Boston Celtics
On October 10, 1965, Green was traded to the Boston Celtics. He played 10 games for the Celtics, averaging 3.2 points. He played his last NBA game on November 20, 1965. With the Celtics, Green got to play alongside Bill Russell, who was also drafted in 1956. After his time with the Celtics, Green played for the New Haven Elms.
Final Professional Season
Green's last professional season was 1966–1967. He played for the Wilmington Jets.
Overall, Si Green played nine seasons in the NBA. He played for four different teams. He scored a total of 5,039 points in his career. He averaged 9.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 504 career games.
Si Green's Life and Legacy
Si Green was known for being a quiet person. A former coach described him as someone who always wore special "jumping socks." These were thick gray socks with green trim, like hunters wear. This was his superstition! His coach said Green had a good jump shot. He could also trick defenders and get past them with a big first step.
Si Green passed away from cancer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 4, 1980. He was 47 years old.
Honors and Recognition
- His jersey number 11 was retired by Duquesne University. This means no other Duquesne player will wear that number.
- In 2016, Green was named to the Duquesne All-Century Team. This honored him as one of the best players in the university's history.
Images for kids
-
Si Green playing for the Chicago Packers around 1962.
See also
In Spanish: Sihugo Green para niños
