AC Green—fans of rock and roll and heavy metal must enjoy that name. But for basketball fans, that name stands for something else. Nicknamed “Ironman” for playing in 1193 consecutive games and not just garbage time minutes, AC is an underrated player overlooked by many.
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He also held another record—a self-proclaimed one. He is the only person in NBA history to have gone his entire professional career as a celibate athlete; he was a proud virgin bachelor at the time of retirement. His upbringing as a devout Christian played a major role in his staying that way.
Maybe his way of life kept him in the NBA for 17 years. He was successful on two separate occasions during his nine seasons with the Lakers. The first stint was when he was drafted in 1985 by the Lakers themselves. Playing with the Primetime Lakers, Green played second fiddle to multiple superstars.
That didn’t stop him from racking up the stats, as he led the team in rebounds six times during his eight seasons on the court. On a team that had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Green was money on jump shots too, which made him a solid role player for the Lakers.
He won back-to-back titles with them in 1987 and 1988 and moved around for a bit from 1993 until 1999. Green returned to see his Showtime Lakers gone, but a new duo in their place— Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. A hot-headed pair of young bucks constantly at loggerheads needed a sense of direction.
AC Green came to the Lakers at the right time, TWICE
AC Green, along with veterans Ron Harper and John Salley, were the pillars that held the dressing room. The Lakers could have split into two factions, but according to Green, they intervened at the right time.
Kobe and Shaq did not want to play with each other, and Green, along with the vets, got the coaches to exit the room and have a proper shaking down. In due course, a lot of things were said and furniture was “moved,” but in the end, the Lakers went on to win a championship.
He did not stay for his second back-to-back, moving to Miami for his final season in the NBA. Playing on both coast beaches wasn’t a bad way to end his time in the league.
How did the Lakers fare after that 1999-00 season?
Oh, just fine. They only went on to win two more championships, becoming the first time since the Bulls won a 3-peat. Under the same coach too, mind you. Something about Phil Jackson you see, screams 3. The creator of the 3-point offense, 3 3-peats, 3 stints in the NBA? If he could shoot 3s, he’d be the epitome of the number 3.
But then it all went south for a bit because Shaquille O’Neal could not take it anymore. It became Kobe land from then on. While the duo had their rivalry during their time in the league, they patched up after retirement. Would they have changed how they behaved with each other? Absolutely. But those moments are what pushed them to get better.
Also Read: “My Guy is Dr.J/Michael Jordan”: Shaquille O’Neal Respectfully Declines Draymond Green’s GOAT Take
