Johnny Green was a four-time NBA All-Star who was a star player with the New York Knicks from 1959 to 1965, and who made the All-Star team his final time at the age of 37.
- Died: November 16, 2023 (Who else died on November 16?)
- Details of death: Died in Huntington, New York at the age of 89.
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Johnny Green’s legacy
Green may have been a four-time NBA All-Star known for his vertical leap, but he didn’t even play basketball in high school. Still under six feet tall by the time he graduated, Green had a late growth spurt and rose to six-foot-five at the age of 20. At the time, he served in the U.S. Marines during the Korean War. It was while in the military that he discovered basketball.
After serving in the Marines, Green went to Michigan State University (then College) and played basketball there, helping lead the Spartans to two Big Ten titles. He was second in Big Ten rebounding history, and he is still the Spartans’ third highest scoring player in school history, despite playing less than three seasons. His success earned him a draft by the New York Knicks at the age of 25. In a game against the Philadelphia Warriors his first season, he pulled 25 rebounds, still a Knicks rookie record.
Following his rookie season, Green made the NBA All-Star team in three of the four next seasons, proving to be a powerhouse with a leap that earned him the nickname “Jumpin’ Johnny.” He was traded from the Knicks in 1965, playing for the Baltimore Bullets, San Diego Rockets, and Philadelphia 76ers before finishing his career with the Cincinnati Royals through their transition to becoming the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. At the age of 37, he proved he could still compete, leading the NBA in field goal percentage and making the All-Star team for a fourth time. Green eventually retired in 1973.
Tributes to Johnny Green
Full obituary: Sports Illustrated
