Getting to know Celtics upstart rookie Javonte Green

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BOSTON — Sunday’s preseason game against Charlotte meant a little more to Javonte Green than most.

It was more than just a game that could bring him one step closer to his dream of being in the NBA. 

You see, it was the first time Green had been to an NBA game … ever, as a player or as a fan. 

Judging by the way he played in Boston’s 107-106 preseason win over the Hornets, I think we’ll be seeing Green in a few more NBA arenas after playing a pivotal in Boston coming back from 15-down in the second half, in order to get the win. He scored 15 points on a flawless 7-for-7 shooting game from the floor with most of his points coming via breakaway dunks and finishes at the rim. 

Here are four other things you should know about Green who is among the handful of Celtics competing for the team’s final roster spot. 

BOSTON CONNECTIONS

Green was coached in high school by Bryant Stith, a former standout at Virginia who was a first-round pick of the Denver Nuggets in 1992. Stith spent part of the 2000-2001 season in Boston after the Nuggets traded him to Boston. Stith, now an assistant coach at Old Dominion, was on the roster when then-head coach and General Manager Rick Pitino resigned after a disastrous start that ended with the Celtics failing to make the playoffs for the sixth straight season. In the 39 years prior to that postseason-less run, Boston had failed to make the playoffs just five times. 

LIGHTLY REGARDED RECRUIT

For those wondering why Green chose to play for Radford, the reason is simple. He didn’t have a choice if he wanted to play Division I basketball with the Highlanders being the lone Division I basketball scholarship offer he had. In fact, there are some who thought he was a more highly regarded football prospect having had a pair of standout junior and senior seasons as a high school quarterback.  

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His nickname is “Woo.” After watching him do his thing in summer league and do it over and over and over again on Sunday night against the Charlotte Hornets, you can definitely see where it came from. If he got a $1 from every person that woo’d when they saw him dunk, he wouldn’t be trying to play his way onto a team. He’d probably own one instead. 

STICKY FINGERS

The highlight-worthy dunks are what gets the crowd fired up about Javonte Green. But it is his defensive potential that intrigues many. The 6-foot-5 wing was named Defensive Player of the Year in Big South in 2015. He’s particularly good at getting his hands on loose balls for steals and more times than not, breathtaking dunks. As a college senior, he set a school record with 68 steals. And last year playing for Ratiopharm Ulmin in Germany, Green led all players in EuroCup play with a league-best 2.5 steals per game.

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