Gerald Green from the Houston Rockets is a versatile player who has played for 9 NBA teams and is currently a free agent. He won the Slam Dunk contest in 2007 beating out Nate Robinson. Overall he participated in 3 different dunk contests over the years.
Green’s jumping ability is elite and it has won over thousands of fans outside the markets he’s played in over the years. The entertainment factor on a Gerald Green dunk is so captivating that social media blew up every time he threw one down in game, even before one of his dunks made SportsCenter.
The Houston Rockets relied on his scoring off the bench in the two most memorable seasons he played for them from 2017 to 2019. He also played for Houston during the 2007-08 season. He was one of the last players to leave high school and enter the NBA. Drafted in 2005 in the first round, Green amassed over $20 Million in career earnings in 12 seasons.
While it is more likely he signs a 10-day contract in the future if he hopes to get back into the league, his best bet is to play overseas like he did from 2009-2011 in Russia.
Green’s best season by far was during the 2013-14 season with the Phoenix Suns in which he averaged 15.8 points per game.
He is most remembered for playing under Mike D’Antoni with the Rockets due to his frequent bursts of scoring off the bench. D’Antoni only put Green in the starting lineup 2 times while coaching Houston.
Gerald Green Houston Rockets Instagram
Gerald will also be remembered as a social media sensation attracting some of his NBA peers to share and re-post videos of him dunking. He is active on Instagram last posting a video of him dunking and hoping to get the attention of NBA General Managers to give him another shot at playing professional basketball. Unfortunately, many players of Gerald Green’s age are usually out of the league or forced to retire. Being 35, it’s very unlikely he will be a player in 2021 once a new season starts in late October or early November.
But like many of his peers who have been out of the league longer than him, he’s still hoping to find a roster spot. Players coming into the league from the 2021 NBA Draft are going to make it even more challenging for him to hold onto a roster spot if he indeed does land one. Courtesy of YouTube, we have the joy of being able to watch a player recap of Gerald Green dropping 41 points on the OKC Thunder back in the day.
The highest season salary he ever made as a professional athlete was $3.5 Million per year for three straight years with the Phoenix Suns. Green easily fit under the salary cap that year and was a great value for the Suns front office. They did not make the playoffs during Gerald Green’s time with the team.
Watch any replay of a Houston Rockets game on NBATV during the offseason and you will see he had every tool in his arsenal from the dream shake to a Gerald Green 360 slam dunk. From the looks of things on social media he is staying in great shape despite sipping beverages in his backyard most days.
Gerald Green Biggest Contract
Gerald Greens signed his biggest contract with the Indiana Pacers over 3 years for $10.5 Million during the 2011 offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Every team he’s played on had a prolific offense. He never failed to fill the box score despite rarely playing big minutes as a starter.
His time with the Boston Celtics was mostly a disappointment. Coming into the league as a rookie he was still learning how to matchup against and defend real NBA players. NBA Mock Drafts would tell you Green was a steal at #18 overall in the 2005 draft. However, many players drafted at 18 make a lot more money than Green did and have longer careers. A team player at heart, always following community guidelines, Green was one of the most reliable bench players ever drafted.
He went to Gulf Shores Academy and is a native of Houston, Texas. Basketball is a competitive game and Green represented the league with class during his career. The average NBA player doesn’t usually last in the league longer than an average of 4.5 playing years and Green easily surpassed that. Facebook and Twitter users a like still discuss his successful career and are amazed at how long he was able to stay in the league. Most memorable, is that he made the NBA Playoffs with the Rockets and became a household name during that time.
Suiting up for 32 games with the New Jersey Nets was one of his most successful stops in the league outside of stints with the Suns and Rockets. He played in the first round of the playoffs and became known as a goat. Not surprisingly, Green became a sensation and was first discovered as one of the best dunkers in basketball while playing Summer League ball in Vegas. A time when players get to showcase their talent in front of scouts and league personnel, Green again broke TV ratings around the country and defied all odds. Fan Posts all over the internet including on official team blogs of his dunks made him a legend. Sitting in any sections of the gym in Vegas was well suited to see his athleticism and realize it was well above average, even by NBA terms. Gerald Green’s agent is James Dunleavy.
Gerald Green Salary
Gerald Green’s salary is reported as $1,512,601. His total earnings are $21,580,455. Houston Rockets waived league shooting guard Gerald Green in December before the 2020 season, opening up roster spots for younger players new to the league. Diehard fantasy basketball fans took to the internet to express their displeasure about the move. Green made the right choice by leaving school and going to the league. He needed no college experience to secure an initial roster spot. Gulf Shores Academy and the Houston area will surely remember him long into retirement. To learn more about his salary breakdown by year over his career you can visit his NBA Salary page. Dedicated Gerald Green fans are hoping he can emerge out of free agency and play just one more season to re-live the glory days again before he calls it a career.
