Johnny Green obit

Johnny Green, New York Knicks All-Star, Dies at 89

The late Johnny Green remains one of the most prolific rebounders in New York Knicks history. 

He was not on the list.

Per longtime NBA writer Peter Vecsey and former teammate Sam Stith, New York Knicks star Johnny Green has passed away at the age of 89. Green played the first six-plus seasons of a 14-year NBA career with the Knicks, chosen by the team as the fifth overall pick of the 1959 draft.

The Michigan State alum repped the Knicks in three All-Star Games and continues to stand as one of the most prolific rebounders in franchise history: at 4,825, Green ranks sixth in Knicks rebounds (one of only 10 New Yorkers to pull in at least 4,000) and ninth among qualifiers at 10.2 a game.

Often referred to as "Jumpin' Johnny Green," Green also holds the record for most rebounds by a Knicks rookie in a single game (25 in a 1960 loss to Philadelphia) and was the first New Yorker to earn 20 in at least three straight.

In the early stages of the 1965-66 season, Green was traded to the Baltimore Bullets in the deal that brought Walt Bellamy to New York. After some nomadic times off the bench between Baltimore, San Diego, and Philadelphia, Green enjoyed a four-year resurgence with the Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City-Omaha Kings franchise. He led the Association in field goal percentage for two seasons and even made one more All-Star appearance at age 37 in 1971.

Prior to his NBA entry, Green starred at Michigan State, beginning his college career at 23 after serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. Green earned back-to-back All-American honors in East Lansing and his No. 24 has been retired by the program alongside Draymond Green and Magic Johnson, among others.

Green returned to New York in retirement, making his home in Dix Hills on Long Island. He was predeceased by his wife Ester and is survived by four children.

After completing his military commitment, Green enrolled at Michigan State in 1955, and played on the 1955–56 Spartans' freshman team. He became eligible to play on the varsity in January 1957, at age 23.

Green played in 18 games that season as a power forward, setting a new Michigan State rebounding record with 14.6 per game as the Spartans were Big Ten champions. They advanced to the NCAA tournament semifinal game, which they lost in triple overtime to eventual champion North Carolina despite Green's 19 rebounds and eight blocked shots. The Spartans finished the season winning 12 out of 13 games to end with a 16–10 overall record.

As a junior in 1957–58, he increased his per-game rebounding average to 17.8 while averaging 18.0 points per game on 53.8 percent field goal shooting. He was named second-team All-American by NABC and The Sporting News and third-team All-American by the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI) and the Helms Foundation.

In 1958–59, he led the Spartans to another Big Ten title and a 19–4 record, falling a game short of the NCAA Final Four. Averaging 18.5 points and 16.6 rebounds per game, he earned first-team All-American honors from the Helms Foundation and was second-team All-American of AP, UPI, NABC and The Sporting News.

In his rookie season of 1959–60 for the Knicks, during which he turned age 26, he played nearly 18 minutes per game, averaging 7.0 points and 7.8 rebounds. On February 26, 1960, against the Philadelphia Warriors, he set a Knicks rookie record that still stands with 25 rebounds.

His playing time increased in 1960–61, when he averaged 10.2 points and 10.7 rebounds. He was a full-time starter in 1961–62, averaging 15.9 points and 13.3 rebounds, leading the team in rebounds with 1,066, and he was named to the NBA All-Star Game. In February 1962, he set Knicks team record with three consecutive games of 20 or more rebounds (since tied by Walt Bellamy, Willis Reed and Tyson Chandler).

In 1962–63 his scoring average was a career-high 18.1 along with 12.1 rebounds per game, and he again led the Knicks with 964 rebounds. He was named an NBA All-Star for the second time.

Green's playing time dipped slightly in 1963–64, but he still averaged 14.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game including a season-high 27 points on November 16, 1963, against the Cincinnati Royals. He also led the Knicks in rebounding for a third consecutive season with 799.

In 1964–65, he averaged 11.0 points and 7.0 rebounds and was named an NBA all-star for the third time. He had a season-high 33 points on December 30, 1964, against the San Francisco Warriors.