Greene Still Enjoying the Game

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Baltimore produce keeps it going despite challenges and adjustment.

May 1, 2009 – Baltimore’s Donte Greene made the jump from college to National Basketball Association in 2008, with just one year at Syracuse University. Despite what many would assume a trying rookie campaign, the ever ebullient and intelligent Greene sees positives.

“It’s totally different” said the 6’11”, 220 pound forward, when asked to comment on The League after playing against the Washington Wizards on March 15th. “And it’s fun at the same time”.

During his first year playing for the Sacramento Kings after being acquired from Houston, who obtained Greene from Memphis, the team that drafted him 28th, Donte averaged 3.8 points a game in 13.2 minutes a game. For the season, he appeared in 55 contests while contributing 1.6 boards a game as well. This comes on the heels of a freshman year at Syracuse in which he dropped 17.7 points and 7.2 rebounds each contest.

Further complicating his neophyte campaign was toggling between the NBA and that entity’s developmental league, the NBADL; for a week in January Greene was transferred to the Reno Bighorns, where he excelled as Sacramento’s first ever player re-assigned to the NBADL. Donte’s stint in the minor league, though personally welcome by him, lasted a week, as he was then brought back to the Kings.

“That was fun” said Greene of the experience. “I knew a lot of those guys there”.

Given his trials and challenges, what words of advice does he have for present and future college players anticipating an early departure to the pros? “You just have to know what you are doing” he said, seemingly meaning be well informed and prepared for a world of hyper competition and palpable pressure.

Don’t get it twisted, Greene is happy with his decision. He’s also still connected to Syracuse.

“I talked to him the other day” he then shared, referring to recent ‘Cuse point guard Jonny Flynn, who has since decided to join Greene in The League. He also was ecstatic the Orange prevailed over Big East rival Connecticut in the team’s epic six overtime on March 12th, a Big East Conference record breaking contest, one that occurred on the mega-stage of that league’s end of season conference tournament.

Green (20), here rebounding against the Lakers, knows he must become stronger for NBA play. (Photo property of Zimbio)

Of course Greene has an ongoing connection with the Charm City, as his friend, AAU (Mt. Royal/Team Melo) and high school (Towson Catholic) teammate, Malcolm Delaney, a standout at Virginia Tech was at the time of the interview contacted “just the other day”. Bubb Carrington, the Nike Baltimore Elite and Mt. Royal coach/director is also a person from B’Mo Greene raps to fairly frequently.

And of course there is his family, which he planned to visit after the game, along with some Sacramento teammates.

“I’m going to be home a little” due to a daylong holdover, before Sacramento jetted to their next East Coast destination, Atlanta, he shared. “So we’re going to go see my Grandmother, and have dinner too!”

Further highlighting that connection will be his brother Demetrius “moving in with me” after the season, as well as his participation in D.C.’s Goodman League and area work outs. “I’ll be between Baltimore and Sacramento working out all summer” said Greene, still good natured and seemingly to be genuinely happy. “And I’m also going to play at Barry Farms”.

So come check him out this summer at Barry Farm’s Goodman League, where he’s scheduled to play for the ever present All Daz team.

And be sure to follow his progression, as with his self-defined points of improvement, “ball handling and getting stronger” being addressed in the off season, Donte Greene will be a better player next year.

In doing so, the question of whether he should have turned pro will likely be put to rest.