Gerald Green has moved around a lot during his professional career. He entered the league in 2005, one of the last players to come straight out of high school, and he is now with his sixth NBA team, not to mention the two years he spent overseas.
Green’s most notable accomplishment was winning the Slam Dunk Contest in 2007 (remember the cupcake dunk?), but he wants to prove he is more than just a dunker.
Green signed with the New Jersey Nets last season in early March and finished out the season with the team. He averaged almost 13 points per game, including a 32-point game against Cleveland.
That was good enough to draw the eyes of the Indiana Pacers who signed Green to a three-year, $10 million contract. The Pacers see more in Green than just a guy who can throw it down. They want him to be a big scorer off the bench.
He's matured to a totally different level," said Pacers forward Danny Granger. "I remember when he won the dunk contest to now. He's a lot older. He's been overseas, so he realizes what he was missing. He's really thankful to be back in the NBA. He's an outstanding player.
Green has started in two of the Pacers’ preseason games and played well, foreshadowing a good year for him. He has been playing a few extra minutes for the injured Granger, but has shown an ability to contribute what the Pacers want from him.
This year, Green will be playing with a little extra motivation. Since he has been back in the NBA, only the Nets and Pacers have shown interest in him. That means he is ready to show all the other teams what they missed out on.
I feel like so many other teams overlooked me," Green said. "I don't know if they thought my character wasn't going to be right or what. I'm going to prove I'm a better professional, I'm a lot better player and I'm all about winning. I'm not about individual statistics. When you win everybody looks good.
Will Gerald Green have a successful second act in the NBA? Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Twitter by using the hashtag #PacersDay.
Image: IndyStar.com
