Former Toronto Raptors guard Danny Green has announced his retirement from the NBA.
The 37-year-old spent 15 years in the league, with a reputation for his “three-and-D” play and helping three teams to an NBA title, including the Raptors.
“I’m officially moving on from the game of basketball and the NBA,” Green said on his YouTube channel. “It’s been a great run. I’m very proud to be able to walk away from the game. I’m at peace with it. I wasn’t at first, but I think it’s one of those things — once I turned 37, the body started reacting a little differently.”
Green joined Toronto in 2018 when he was traded by the San Antonio Spurs alongside Kawhi Leonard for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a protected 2019 first-round pick, a move that changed the course of Raptors history as they won their first-ever NBA title that season.
He shot a career-high 45.5 per cent from three-point range, averaging 10.3 points across 80 regular-season games with Toronto.
He also won titles in 2013-14 with the Spurs — alongside Leonard — and with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019-20.
Green was a starter on all three championship clubs.
“People ask me, ‘How did you learn how to become a winner? How do you become a leader?’” Green said. “And it’s the people before me, the people that have taught me, my coaches. They prepared me to be successful because ultimately I’m just a normal kid. I had some height, but I was not freakishly athletic. I just worked very hard, and I had the good resources around me to learn how to be professional and do things the right way.”
Green, a second-round pick (46th overall) by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009, averaged 8.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 832 career games. He also spent time with the Philadelphia 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies.
Green retires with 1,577 three-pointers, 43rd-most in NBA history. He’s one of only 12 players to make that many three -pointers and shoot at least 40 per cent from beyond the arc.
He’s also ninth in post-season three-pointers, with 315 of those.
Green is one of only four players — Kyle Korver, Rashard Lewis and Trevor Ariza are the others — to make as many three-pointers as he did without being a first-round draft pick
Green last played for the 76ers during the 2023-24 season, appearing in only two games before being waived in November.
He said he’s hoping to work in media and indicated that he has some opportunities to consider.
“I’m excited for the next chapter, the next journey,” Green said.
With files from The Associated Press.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.
