Despite Playing With Lebron James and Shaquille O?Neal as a Rookie, 3x NBA Champ Credits Tim Duncan and Co. For Mentoring Him

LeBron James and Shaquille O?Neal have been two of the best players to ever grace the game of basketball. Shaq went down as the most dominant center in league history whereas LeBron James is still one of the top players in the league, building on his legacy. So, how did this former three-time NBA champion evolve while sharing the court with the two greats?

LeBron James and Shaquille O?Neal played together briefly with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though the two are the best at their positions, both LeBron and Shaq were either at the start or at the twilight of their careers. But one good thing did come out for this rookie back then.

Former NBA champion talks about his time with LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal

Danny Green became one of four players to win three NBA championships with three different teams. But before Green went on to become a lethal three-point shooter, he had the opportunity to play with both James and Shaq in Cleveland.

Danny Green was the 46th pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. During his rookie season, Green had the opportunity to see both LeBron James and Shaquille O?Neal share the court.

Read More: 14 Years Later, $1,300,000,000 Worth Company Reignites LeBron James? Presence in MLB?s Multi-Million-Dollar Empire

Recently Danny Green made an appearance for an interview on No Chill with Gilbert Arenas. That is where he talked about learning things off the court that helped him turn from a rookie to a pro.

During the interview, Green said, ?I was playing with Bron and Shaq my first year in Cleveland. They weren?t bringing me into play minutes. They already had a set. They had Anthony Parker, they had Delonte West, they had Mo Williams who?s another All-Star.”

“We had a lot of guys in the wing so I wasn?t coming in with a not perfect opportunity. But I had an opportunity to learn. So, that was pretty much what my goal was. Be a sponge, learn as much as I possibly can and when my opportunity comes, try to take advantage.?

Green credits Tim Duncan and the Spurs organization

Danny Green did get to learn from two of the greats before making his way to the San Antonio Spurs. However, his journey to becoming a crucial part of the Spurs rotation was not easy either.

Green was cut from the Cavs, went to the G-League, and suffered injuries before winning his first NBA championship with players like Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. And not to mention, Gregg Popovich and his influence on the team and players.

Watch This Story:?’Damn, this man is still here’, Klay Thompson in shambles over latest LeBron James announcement

He got his first taste of the league during his time in Cleveland but went on to really mature as a player with the Spurs. So, taking a trip down memory lane, Green surely had a rocky start but it all paid off in the end as he had an illustrious career.