Nicknamed “Icy Hot,” the NBA star has made some of the most striking 3-pointer records. Just like the inevitable retirement decision, he has also left behind a bold legacy that ensures he remains one of the most skilled shooters in the NBA. Speaking of his retirement, some believe it’s the right time, and some think it’s Joel Embiid. In any case, it’s an emotional moment to see the NBA star saying goodbye to his on-court action as he wraps up an incredible career.

What’s inspiring about Danny Green’s career is that he has never lost hope, even when it was dwindling. Holding onto hope, he has played for six teams in his 15-year career averaging 8.7 points. He was drafted as the 46th pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

At the beginning of his second season, the 3x NBA champion joined the San Antonio Spurs. Now, this is quite an interesting part of his career. Green had three stints with the Spurs. And the first two were quite short. It was during his third stint with the team that he got the opportunity to showcase his talent and be seen by the fans. No wonder, he is one of the best Spurs players.

He took the team to the playoffs but missed. But luck and talent were with him next time. His hard work had just begun to show. Averaging 9.1 points for the Spurs, he led the team to a championship in 2014. After James Worthy and Michael Jordan, Green became the third UNC star player to win both NCAA and NBA titles. This is where he became a starting shooting guard.

Following that, in 2018, Kawhi Leonard and Green were traded to the Toronto Raptors. He led the Raptors to win the championship in 2019, averaging 10.3 points per game for the Raptors. While playing for the Lakers, he averaged 8 points per game and led the Lakers to a championship in 2020. He was a starter in the Lakers roster as well.

Why are people bringing Joel Embiid into Danny Green’s retirement?

It was all going well until Green suffered a major injury. The playoff game against the Miami Heat in 2022 didn’t turn out as Green and the rest of the team had hoped. During Game 6, his teammate Joel Embiid fell on him, leading to his ACL and LCL tears. Spectators watched in horror as Green collapsed to the floor in pain.

Afterward, Green appeared in only 17 more games. The announcement of his retirement led many to assume Embiid was responsible for his early exit from the league. “After 15 seasons, Danny Green says he is retiring. Green, who’s announcing his retirement on his podcast Thursday, is one of the four players in NBA history to win championships with three different teams (2014 with Spurs, 2019 with Raptors, 2020 with Lakers),” Shams Sarania was the first one to make the announcement. 

However, it was just an unintentional collision, and it doesn’t make sense to blame Embiid for the unfortunate incident. Green is one of only 12 players with 1,577 three-pointers. He is also one of four players to have won three NBA titles with three different teams. 

Moreover, after his retirement, he will be focusing more on his business and broadcasting career. It took him some time to start his own podcast. During his recent appearance on the latest episode of Above the Rim, he shared his experience with the San Antonio Spurs, where he won his first championship title.

Danny Green shared his experience of playing with Spurs

Speaking about his experience, the ex-NBA player recounted how the San Antonio Spurs never made the players feel comfortable. He explained that he was nervous about starting his own podcast because the team wanted all the focus on the game. 

“Ultimately, they never make you feel comfortable in a sense to where you’re always hungry and working hard. Because I mean they just want you to focus only on basketball and they feel the best way to get the best out of you is to kind of in a nondirect way.” Green said on the podcast.

He further added, “Put the pressure on you to know that your spot is never safe so that you’re always, every day, earning your spot, earning your keep, you’re earning your position.”

Even when things were tough with the San Antonio Spurs, he didn’t lose hope. Green remained focused on bringing his best. Even at this point, the 3x NBA champ had the most logical thought process. Speaking of his retirement, he said, “My body was letting me know. I was getting little calf strains here and there. But also, when you get older, teams aren’t calling as much. Unfortunately, my services weren’t as sought after as they were when I was younger. It’s been a hell of a ride.” 

While we might not be able to see his action on the court, we will get to listen to his insights in his podcast, The Green Room with Danny Green.