Excerpt from Daily Dime about Danny Green

[NASpurs]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime


They couldn't stand him. The Spurs didn't like his attitude and didn't think he'd fit in with their team-oriented culture.

Then, Green did something that didn't fit in with our unapologetic, text-message culture. He asked for a second chance -- on a voicemail message he left for Gregg Popovich.

Green says he told him, "I'll do whatever you need me to do. Rebound, defense, towel boy, water boy … whatever you need me to do, I'm going to do that."

Popovich took it to heart. He brought back Green that March and signed him through the end of the 2010-11 season. By the next season, Green started more than half of the 66 games in the lockout-shortened schedule.

"Pop's a really good dude, and he gave me a second chance and I appreciate that," Green said. "The whole way along he's been pushing me and teaching me to be better, and I've grown within the system."

[Marcus Bryant]

:tu

[racm]

Went from being a Cavs reject to being waived by Pop mid-season to shutting down Steph Curry.

If you looked at his college career you wouldn't think he'd have to do this.

[Darius McCrary]

Gotta love Daniel.

[Gospursel]

To me, this gives a little more insight into the SJax fiasco. From what I remember, pop asked Jackson if he thought he was better than green.... Jackson and Pop had very different perspectives on what made a player great.

[FromWayDowntown]

Sort of hate to say it, but that kind of humility from Danny Green is what you'd expect to hear from someone who has gotten over himself.

[Obstructed_View]

Never heard that before. Interesting.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

He is the Winslow King

[Chinook]

To me, this gives a little more insight into the SJax fiasco. From what I remember, pop asked Jackson if he thought he was better than green.... Jackson and Pop had very different perspectives on what made a player great.

Great post.

[rold50]

:toast

[Chinook]

It's really easy to root for Green when you know a little about him. You can see how much he appreciates the opportunity he was given when you see how he interacts with his teammates and fans.

[Libri]

They couldn't stand him. The Spurs didn't like his attitude and didn't think he'd fit in with their team-oriented culture.

I wonder how many more players have been dropped/waived by the Spurs because they don't want to play team ball.

It's a shame that a lot of players with ability don't amount to much because they refuse to accept the team concept.

[GSH]

It's like CoJo asking to be sent down to the D-League. I'm not sure those things would mean as much on most other teams. Anybody that thinks raw talent is all it takes just has to look at the Dallas Cowboys. It's no coincidence that the team that values character and basketball IQ is also the team with the best record over the last decade-plus.

[HI-FI]

curious about the comment from Adande that the Spurs couldn't stand him. Do you believe that is true or just the media exaggerating the situation. Danny seemed like a likeable dude with the Cavs, plus Ferry must have seen something him.

[crc21209]

Wow. Very interesting tidbit indeed. Green seems like one of the most down to earth guys, and this proves it. He wanted to be a part of a winning culture so much that he would do anything that Pop wanted him to...awesome. :tu

[Uriel]

curious about the comment from Adande that the Spurs couldn't stand him. Do you believe that is true or just the media exaggerating the situation. Danny seemed like a likeable dude with the Cavs, plus Ferry must have seen something him.

[angelbelow]

Thanks for posting. Good read.

[eric365]

I like this part too:
Bonner's always a bigger threat than Duncan when it comes to talking, anyway. In the first round, for example, he enlightened reporters about the use of coconut water in the Pacific theater during World War II. Those who left Bonner on Sunday missed his explanation of how he overcomes his inconsistent playing opportunities. Bonner had more shots and almost as much playing time in this game as he did in the final four games of the conference semifinals combined, the type of uneven-minutes role that he has learned to prepare for. He'll vary his practice habits, sometimes sitting down for a while before he steps on the court or shooting cold without getting any practice jumpers.

"I just try to simulate the -- I don't want to make up a word that doesn't exist -- arrhythmic nature of my playing time and shots," Bonner said. "Just really try to hone in that, I guess."

[Spur|n|Austin]

Interesting, this is news to me. Here's to DG keeping his composure and swagger. :toast

[hooperflash]

Neal needs to go, because once Danny is wearing #14... Watchout NBA! http://files.niketalk.com/smilies/pimp.gif

[spurspokesman]

Good read

[racm]

Green is a winner, tbh... he was the glue guy for the UNC championship squad

[TheCerebral1]

Danny Green has flaws, but he's a team coachable player and he hits his shots when he's out there. He plays adequate team defense and is a quality NBA player. Not a top 20 SG, but he's someone you can use in a starting role off and on. I like him quite a bit.

[Blue Duck]

I love the part about DG and it totally makes sense to me from a team cultural standpoint. A few months back i was watching some show about Lebron on NBATV and it showed old footage from the Cleveland days when Lebron used to make the whole team join in on all of that stupid choreographed pregame bullshit like posing for pictures and dumbass dance routines and DG was right there taking part in all of it. I was thinking, "That doesn't seem like DG at all since joining the spurs. I guess you realize how all of the false camradery, attention seeking bullshit is fake and trivial when the ring leader throws the entire team under the bus, and then you're exposed to humble superstars that appreciate and value their teanmates in private, not just on stage. Regardless, its obvious that his exposure to spurs culture was a defining, turning point in his career and that he understands and appreciates that after coming from Lebron's three ring spectacle.

[BillMc]

I love the part about DG and it totally makes sense to me from a team cultural standpoint. A few months back i was watching some show about Lebron on NBATV and it showed old footage from the Cleveland days when Lebron used to make the whole team join in on all of that stupid choreographed pregame bullshit like posing for pictures and dumbass dance routines and DG was right there taking part in all of it. I was thinking, "That doesn't seem like DG at all since joining the spurs. I guess you realize how all of the false camradery, attention seeking bullshit is fake and trivial when the ring leader throws the entire team under the bus, and then you're exposed to humble superstars that appreciate and value their teanmates in private, not just on stage. Regardless, its obvious that his exposure to spurs culture was a defining, turning point in his career and that he understands and appreciates that after coming from Lebron's three ring spectacle.

To be fair, Danny was well-known for leading pregame dance routines at UNC.

[Spur|n|Austin]

To be fair, Danny was well-known for leading pregame dance routines at UNC.

Also at North Babylon HS, and at St. Mary's where he transferred to.

[barakz21]

I like DG, when he's on the court I just think he's got swagger. And I mean the good kind of swagger, not the one that's actually being cocky. I can't exactly say what it is, but I think it's how he carries himself, his body language. It's like..... He's got attitude. Not sure that even makes sense, but regardless, it goes to show how dedicated he is to his craft.

[Spursmania]

Was it confirmed that Green was the player Jackson and Pop were referring too?