January 29, 2025 • 32 mins
Erick Green is a High School State Champion, ACC Player of the Year, NCAA Scoring Leader (2013), NBA Drafted (2013), And Overseas Phenom. Watch as he joins the Entirely NBA Podcast to discuss coming out of a small area, Winchester, VA, his growth at Virginia Tech, being drafted and joining the Denver Nuggets & Utah Jazz, success overseas, fatherhood, and more!
- Why Erick Choose Virginia Tech
- First Year at VT
- 2013 Draft Process
- The Team Erick Thought He Was Going To
- Erick's Welcome To The NBA Moment
- Erick Signs 7 Figure Deal Overseas
- Overseas Competition vs NBA Comp.-
- Luka, the TOUGHEST Guard Erick played against
- Toughest NBA Matchups
- Being A Dad
- Life Lessons Erick Wants To Give His Kids
- What It Means to Be A Leader
- Best NBA Starting 5
- $50M & 5 Rings or $500M
- Erick's Best Leadership Qualities
- Would Erick Make An NBA Return?
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
So welcome back to Entirely Media.
(00:02):
This is Entirely NBA and we're here with one of our favorite people.
Before we get started, let's just list off some accolades of my guy here.
High school state champion, ACC player of the year,
leading scorer that last year drafted in 2013 and then went overseas to become an overseas phenom.
I want to welcome Eric Green.
How you doing, man?
Thank you. How you doing, man? Thanks for having me, man.
(00:27):
Start off easy.
I just want to talk about what your favorite childhood memory?
Oh, man.
Probably when my father got the team the rising stars together,
just for the fact that we grew up together since we were like seven, eight years old
and accomplished so much from winning a national championship to a high school state championship.
So, you know, doing that from eight to like 16, 17 years old, man,
(00:50):
it was that was probably my favorite childhood memory because we started so young together.
I want to talk about that.
So we like to start early on.
What was it actually like winning that first state championship?
Man, it was crazy because, you know, like from our city, man, no one's ever done it.
So, you know, being able to be the first ones to do it, man, it was a heck of an accomplishment.
(01:13):
And then you get to do it with your brothers.
Like I said, those guys I've been playing with since I was like eight years old.
So that's been I was even made it better. Right.
So that's that's a hell of a feeling.
And then if I remember correctly, you went from obviously winning that state championship
to heading over to Paul to six. Is that correct?
Yeah, that's correct. Yep.
They ended up retiring your jersey.
If I'm not mistaken, you won another state championship over there, too.
Yeah. So you just just been winning.
(01:35):
You've been winning the whole time.
So like, what is that feeling like after Paul to six?
Did you see like NBA dreams?
Did you see like going from there?
Was that just something that you just like, I'm just going to keep playing, keep winning?
Man, honestly, no, I didn't even think NBA.
I mean, of course, you know, all of our dreams as kids is like NBA, NBA.
You know, so you work hard towards it.
But I mean, it's just like a goal I had.
(01:56):
I didn't really see it come in
until probably like my junior senior year of college when I was like, oh, I got a chance.
But from the most part, man, it was just honestly just working hard.
Like I was like, man, my mom, my dad, like, you know, growing up, it was very competitive.
Like we were always taught, if you're going to do something,
do it at your best and always try to be, you know, win.
(02:16):
So, you know, that was installed in us very early.
So not only was dad big on that, but mom was to.
Yeah, mom was huge. Mom played college basketball.
Mom was a shooter. Mom was really good as well.
So, yeah, she was she was hard on us a lot, man.
OK, so high school championship, Paul, the sixth.
What went into that process of actually joining Virginia Tech?
(02:38):
Man, my dream was to play in the ACC.
My first offer, I was going to go to either George Mason with coach Larry Nega,
who is at Miami now.
But, you know, Virginia Tech came and I was like, Maggie to play.
You know, my favorite team grew up was Duke.
So I was like, I'm not getting looked at by Duke.
So the closest I'll probably get is Virginia Tech.
So, you know, playing in ACC, Duke, Carolina,
they say it's the best basketball in the country.
(02:59):
So I was like, man, I want to challenge and, you know, I took it on.
Gotcha. OK. Not only did you take it on, I know the first.
So what I want to talk about is the emotional aspect of that first year,
because I read I know it was a little rough.
It was what, you know, two point six points or shooting percentages.
I know what that feels like right to not perform the way you want to perform.
You were quoted, though, saying that first year turned you into a gym rep.
(03:24):
So what was the emotional feeling like experiencing the lower percentages
and the lesser performance and then diving deep into that hard work
to obviously get to that fourth year where God damn you were doing it?
What was that like?
Man, I mean, it was, you know, when you come in from high school,
you know, from my city, like you're the man, everybody, you know, praises you.
Everybody's saying how good you are.
(03:44):
And then you get a really nice, humble experience.
You know, when you go to college and you realize like,
you know, you were the best of the best.
Those guys, there's guys here that are like the best where they are at, too.
And they're older, they're more, you know, physical, physically ready.
You know, I came into college at like one fifty five.
So I was like a skinny mini man.
I didn't really I didn't have I was always talented.
(04:05):
Like I worked hard, but I didn't really know what hard work was.
And I tell kids that all the time.
Like you think you're working hard, but you have no idea
what like working hard really is to make it to that next level.
And, you know, my first year, I mean, I'm not going to lie to you,
I didn't work hard like I was going through the motions.
I was happy to be there.
You know, I really wasn't playing a lot.
So I was like kind of felt like I was, you know, once you're in the middle
(04:26):
of the season, you're kind of stuck like either I can continue to work hard.
I'm just going to stay stuck where I'm at and just get through this season.
And I stayed stuck where I was at and just got through the season.
And, you know, when I when you had guys like Malcolm Delaney,
Derenzo Hudson, Jeff Allen, guys who are vets and that were in the gym
all the time and watching them, I'm like, man, like, I'm going to be
like, man, like Malcolm's all American.
(04:46):
I want to be like him one day.
So getting the experience of that was, you know, that motivated me.
And I wanted to be the best of the best.
And I got complacent my freshman year.
I remember getting like fan mail stuff.
People were like, we wasted a scholarship on this kid.
You know, you read these little things people sent to you and stuff.
Yeah. So it kind of like it hurt me, man.
(05:06):
You know, we have feelings too as who was a young kid.
I was like, man, I don't know if I'm going to be good enough for this.
But, you know, I come from a family where we don't run.
You know, you buckle down and you work harder and you grind and, you know,
and you make the most out of what you know, what you do, where you're at.
And that's what I did, man.
Like just saying, like, that was your first time running to adversity
when it came to like your basketball career.
(05:27):
Like, was that something that was that a self motivating thing?
Like you said, just watching other people like grind, getting what they get,
like getting accolades they had.
And then you just like, look, I got to get in the gym.
Like, I can't I can't be just a real man.
Just a regular dude.
Yeah, no, for sure.
You know, it really motivated me is when you hear another
another point guards coming in the following year.
(05:48):
So we had another guy coming in.
Yeah. So it was like, they signed another point guard.
I'm like, oh, wow.
Like, they don't like me or I got to, you know, pick this shit up, man.
You know, it was a choice or you can run.
You know what I mean? Like you can transfer and not have to competing work harder.
But, you know, I took the challenge on, man.
Like, I honestly, I got my butt in the gym.
I put on weight, locked in and it all worked out.
(06:10):
It definitely did.
Shit, I'd say.
So for people that don't know, as we talked about that freshman year,
it was what it was.
But when we say this man really got in the gym and did work,
he did that by his senior year.
Dude, not only one ACC player of the year, but was a leading
scorer in the whole national elite level at 25 points.
And so when we start looking at some of those names that are also on that list,
(06:32):
Air Greens, number one, passing guys that we well are well known,
such as CJ McCollum, Doug McDermott, Caldwell Pope was even in class that year.
So it's it's insane to say
it's fucking insane.
So what I want to know then, obviously, coming off of that,
what was that feeling like knowing or maybe not even knowing
(06:53):
what your next steps would be after your senior year?
What kind of emotions do you have there?
I was a roller coaster because, I mean, honestly, man,
college is the best time of your life.
Like, you know what I mean?
So it's like coming to a point where, you know, back then
we didn't really know too much about overseas basketball because we
I mean, Instagram was just starting to pop off, but it really wasn't covering
it is like it is now.
So, you know, in my head, I really was like, OK, I hear about overseas,
(07:17):
but you don't really know about it.
You know what I mean?
Are they these guys even make money like you don't know nothing?
So I was just like, oh, man.
So, you know, just the whole NBA.
Once I started my senior year, people were like,
yo, man, you got a chance to get drafted.
I came back from the CP three camp they do in the summer of the top point guards.
And I performed there really well.
I come back on campus and I'll never forget, like someone sent me something on Facebook.
(07:40):
I was like a draft board and I was like 50 something and I was like, oh my gosh,
like, you know, damn, I'm on a draft board.
So that just added to my confidence even more.
And I just took off from there.
So a lot of people get complacent with that.
So that was something that just kept on, made you push further
to try to get higher up in the draft class or were you just kind of just like,
hey, I'm on the board.
You know what I'm saying? Not many people can even make it to the board.
(08:03):
So you were on the board to get to the NBA or was that something that gave you more motivation?
Yeah, it gave me more motivation. I wanted to be a first round pick.
That was my whole intent.
Like, you know, I had like I had so in my locker,
I had a list of all the top point guards that came out with like the top 25 point guards.
And, you know, I used to put a title, I taped it to my locker
and I got a chance to go up against, you know, playing in the ACC,
(08:23):
you know, guys in Carolina, Duke, that names were on the list.
I went up against Marcus Smart.
So I got all these names. I'm like, all right, these guys are ahead of me.
Like, I'm going to take it on as a challenge.
Like, I want to show everybody I'm better, you know, and, you know, that's what I did.
I really took it every night.
I went out there, I wanted to destroy whoever was in front of me
and I wanted to show everybody I was a first round pick.
(08:44):
I love it. So what was that draft process like for you?
That was a dream, man.
Just be able to just to go through, like go to city to city, travel,
get to work out for these teams, meet all these different people,
play against the workout against the best of the best.
Like it was it was crazy. It was unreal for me.
I never thought a kid from Winchester experienced something like that.
(09:04):
You know what I mean? Like.
And then the cool thing was, you know, my whole life, I've been chasing people.
Like, you know, I wanted to, you know, I'm chasing, I'm chasing.
But now I'm being chased.
People want to be where I'm at.
People are trying to come for me.
And, you know, you hear your name now and it's like, wow, like I've come a long, long way.
You know what I mean? Yeah, that's very true.
I want to know. So obviously, you said you were working out,
just like most people do for various teams before the draft.
(09:27):
Was there one particular workout that stands out in your mind?
Like, damn, I think I killed that. I may be able to go here.
Yeah, I thought Milwaukee, Milwaukee was I think I will pick the head like the 20s.
And I killed that workout.
You know, the coaches were talking to me like, man, we're going to
if you're available late 20s, we're going to take you.
(09:47):
I'm like, yeah, yeah. You know, and
that was one where I thought it was a guarantee.
I was locked in for them because and I got called back twice.
So, you know, they brought me the first time and I did well.
Then the second time they wanted to see me up against somebody else.
I forgot who it was and I played really well.
And, you know, they went with somebody else.
That's just part of the business.
So by the time you ended up getting to the league, it was a second round, 46 pick
(10:12):
to Denver. Like, how was that?
Like, what was your first year like when you went there?
Like going like playing with Ty Lawson and and all them.
It was crazy.
I mean, I remember my first day of training camp and practice.
I'll never forget like we're doing like two on two drills and
Javelle McGee and J.J.
Hicks and their garden each other and Javelle McGee is like seven foot, seven
one where his arms are long, crazy long.
(10:36):
J.J. Hicks and took one dribble and just dunked right over top of him.
And I'm just looking like, wow, I'm in a whole like I'm in a whole new ball game.
Like your bigs is just as fast as your guards.
You know what I mean? Like it's just the NBA is a whole different animal.
You're like, you better really come to play every day.
So that was really like my first eye opening moment was like, wow, I'm here.
(10:57):
Like, I'm really here.
So that was that was cool. But it was an awesome experience, man.
I'm glad you said that, because that's actually what I was going to ask to.
What was kind of that welcome? A lot of people have it, whether it's on the court
or in a practice or various other experiences.
So I'm glad to hear that was your last stop.
So obviously, the first year went the way it went.
I love to see you out there.
I mean, you competed against some good guards.
(11:19):
One pitcher that I saw that I really liked was he taking up beautiful.
Mid-range jumper. Trey Burke had his hand up.
I was like, damn, that's that's that's one moment you can always say.
Like that's fly.
What actually came down to your decision to start pursuing basketball overseas?
What the second year coming in with getting released from Denver, then did the G League,
(11:41):
got picked up by Utah and did that whole thing.
And then going into that summer, my agent was like, hey, man, you got a great
opportunity overseas. It's a lot, a lot of money tax free.
And it's going to, you know, play at the highest level in Europe and get you back into the NBA.
So I was like, you know, let me think about it.
You know, I didn't want to keep going to the G League.
(12:02):
And I mean, the offer was crazy.
So, I mean, it was seven figures.
I was like, man, at this age, I'm 20 something years old,
but make seven figures tax free.
Like, this is going to be crazy.
So and opportunity to play the best of the best.
And I was like, I can't I can't I can't beat it.
So, you know, I took it on.
And that was that was a whole other challenge as well in my life.
(12:23):
Is the NBA and the Euro League, is it that much different?
Like when it comes to the talent, because like you said, people in the NBA,
you know, your centers are just as fast as your guards, everybody's stupid athletic,
all this stuff. Like, was it still that same change going over to the early like going overseas?
Yes and no.
Because there's a lot of guys over here at the Euro League, man, that could play in the NBA,
(12:45):
but they get paid more here than they do there because of the tax.
But I mean, it was it's smarter.
You got to be really smart.
This is basketball over here.
Like, it's not really too much athleticism.
You know, you got to really know how to play basketball, shoot the three, play as a team.
Like there might be one game you play 25 minutes, one game you might play 15 minutes.
So it's just like up and down.
(13:06):
Like you got to learn how to manage that type of stuff, too.
So it was definitely a challenge from the NBA to Euro League.
It's it is two completely different games.
But I mean, you've had tremendous success over there.
Italian Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup MVP, Spanish Super Cup winner.
That was in 2017 Turkish Cup winner.
Tell me how to say this, Eric.
It's the M-O-N-T-E-N-E-G-R-I-N.
(13:27):
What the hell is that?
It's the Montenegrin League.
Yes.
Yes.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
But anyway, so tremendous success there.
So and you're still over there.
Obviously, like you said, the money is amazing.
And obviously, you still get to pursue your dreams.
You're playing at a high level.
And it's funny, too.
Kyle brought up a good question of the talent difference, right?
(13:48):
One of the biggest misconceptions is that it's easier over there.
While it may seem easier over there in a physicality standpoint,
the mental aspect and how these guys play on a strategic level
is hands down one of the best.
So I applaud you for being able to go over there and dominate.
That's such a hell of a thing to do.
I appreciate that.
Thank you, man.
This got more personal for me, but I don't know if you remember a while ago
(14:10):
when you were still in tech.
I went out there and I was chilling with you there
and I was asking you some of these same questions.
It's kind of weird how in the future now we actually doing as an interview.
But the biggest thing that kind of stuck with me
because I was still whooping, chasing my hooped dreams, all that good stuff.
The biggest thing you stuck with me is the fact that you were like,
I'm not the most athletic.
(14:30):
I'm not the strongest.
I'm not the biggest.
But I'm smarter than everybody on the court.
So everybody I play against, I'm smarter than them.
So I can just beat them because my IQ when it comes to the court.
And so now that you're saying it now, you're in the Euro League, killing it over there.
It kind of all ends up playing out.
It's just like, you have the talent.
You've always been talented.
(14:50):
And you said that you don't have like, you were talking about earlier, like six, four.
Like, you know what I'm saying?
You're not like in the NBA or in the NBA, that's like short.
Right.
You're short to everybody else.
But you still perform in at a high level.
So I really respect that.
And it just stuck with me ever since.
So I was tough.
I appreciate that, bro.
Thanks, man.
(15:11):
What's a typical workout schedule look like for you?
Oh, man.
Offseason or during the season?
Well, give me both.
Give me offseason first.
Offseason, man, I get up around like seven, seven fifteen.
I got to be at the gym at eight for my strength and conditioning, footwork, stuff like that.
Then after that, grab some breakfast, you know, something to eat.
(15:32):
And then I go work out my shooting coach skills work.
We do skills.
We do that for about an hour.
And then sometimes, you know, maybe twice a week, we play pickup right after we get done with that.
And then at nighttime, man, you come and get some shots up.
That's when I really feel like your body's tired.
You're really tired.
You don't want to do it.
You know, let's be real.
You sit at the crib, you're like, man, I don't want to go back to the gym, man.
(15:54):
But you got to do it, man.
If you try to continue to be successful, play at a high level, you got to get that work in.
And, you know, that's that's a day for me, man.
Every day in the offseason.
That's that's my that's my day.
During season is just a lot of just team practices, team bonding, like, yeah.
Yeah.
Like today, man, we had weights at 11, then practice at 12.
And I stay after every day of practice.
(16:15):
30 minutes, like 20, 20, 30 minutes, man.
Just getting shots up, working on not even doing too much running, nothing like that.
Just doing, you know, a few steps.
Continue my repetition, repetitions, you know, continue just to stay on my flow, man.
And that's it, man.
That's really it.
And then just go get the treatment.
I take care of my body every day.
I'm learning that.
Take care of your body, man.
That's important.
(16:37):
That longevity is needed.
I'm trying to play for another five, six years.
I'm trying to get out.
I want to.
It's hard to get up in the morning sometimes.
It's hard.
I believe it.
They're making it hard for everybody.
Yeah, you're right about that.
Tell me, so being overseas, is there a moment that you remember of one of the toughest guards
you had to go against?
(16:58):
Yeah, man, I remember I was playing against Luca and I remember coming home
and I'm like, yo, y'all, like, there's this dude over there named Luca Donjans.
Yo, he is like that.
And, you know, Americans, they kind of like, yeah, right, man.
I know European is good.
Yeah, right.
I'm like, man, yo, listen, he's killing grown men at 17.
Like this kid is nice.
Like, and honestly, I don't really I don't really walk away from games like, oh, yeah,
(17:22):
yeah, like he's really, really tough.
Like, you know, but when I left that game, I was like, yo, who is this kid?
You know what I mean?
Like, I was like, yo, like, yeah.
For being 17, his IQ, his physical, you know, you know, he was strong, like he could shoot
his cocky.
I'm like, yo, who the hell like where this kid come from?
You know what I mean?
(17:43):
So that was I was like, yo, this dude, this dude, a real deal.
Mike James, Mike James is the real deal.
I like going playing against Mike.
Mike is, you know, he bring the best out of you.
He can get to it, man.
He really gets to it.
I love it.
What about just in the NBA?
Who was the toughest person you guarded?
Man, I mean, Kyrie, I got a chance to guard Kyrie.
I got a chance to guard Steph.
(18:05):
I mean, they were everybody's tough, man.
But I mean, I got to practice against Todd Lawson.
At that time, Todd Lawson was one of the best guards in the league.
You know, like he was definitely.
You can't you could not stay in front of him, man.
Every day in practice, he was busting my ass.
You know what I mean?
Like you just can't stay in front of the guy.
Like in all the space, you can't help in the NBA.
So it's just one on one.
Congratulations.
Got kid.
Thank you, bro.
(18:25):
Yes, sir.
How was that?
How was that like separating that with all the like off season workouts during season
workouts and then still making good time for your family?
Oh, man, it's tough.
It was it's not really as bad because my family likes to come to the gym with me.
So, you know, they would be in the gym with me all the time.
So it's cool.
My girl was a she used to play college basketball.
So she loves basketball.
(18:47):
So she always in a gym, you know.
So, you know, my son and my daughter, every time we together, man, we in the gym.
We we love to be in the gym.
So, you know, it's it's not it's not really too bad.
Sometimes, you know, the hardest part is being away from your family.
You know, I mean, when you're trying to work and you got to get ready and they're far away
and stuff, that's probably the hardest part.
(19:07):
Just missing them and wishing they could be there with you.
So off the subject of just sports in general,
when it comes to being a father, what is one lesson that you want to try to instill into your child?
Man, that's a great question.
I'll tell you what kids do make you work on.
It was your patience.
But, you know, one thing I really want to install and it was a work ethic.
(19:32):
Not just on the court of I'm off the court with people to like, be a good person, man.
And it's one thing my parents taught me.
You can be a great athlete and all that, but be a great person.
That's going to take you further than anything in the world.
And that's what's gotten me to where I'm at, you know, and been a great dude.
No problems.
I still today say yes, sir.
No, man.
People look at me like I'm crazy.
Like you a grown man saying it to other people.
(19:52):
I'm just like, it's like this is what I'm saying.
No, you know, so I get it every day.
But that's the one thing I want to teach him.
Like, you know, hard work, man.
We're going to try to be the best as we can be on the court, but be the best person we
can be off the court as well.
And that's something I want to install into my kids.
Going back to the court real quick, one of our best performing videos was a take on
(20:16):
leadership.
So from your standpoint, what does it mean to be a leader?
One, the court and two, do you believe that it's the best player on the court that's
normally the best leader?
Because I don't think that's the case.
I'm with you.
I don't think the best the best leader has to be the best player.
I played on teams all the time where, you know, the best leader, you know, he's the
(20:37):
most vocal, the hardest worker every single day, man.
He's in the gym.
He's out working everybody.
He's you know, he's a person that you can't say nothing back to because like he does
everything you know, he's the best leader.
He's a person that you can't say nothing back to because like he does everything you
know, he holds himself accountable, he holds everybody else accountable.
You know what I mean?
And you know, that's something I look at when somebody's talking to me like, bro,
(20:59):
you putting in the work or you doing it?
You can't just be talking if you ain't doing it.
But yeah, being a leader, man, I just think is just you don't always have to be the
most loudest person in the room to be a leader.
Just doing things the right way, working your tail off every day, being coachable,
you know, you know, being able to be able to talk to your teammates.
That's big without having, you know, feeling like someone's attacking you, you know,
(21:21):
just trying to be able to give him advice and be like, hey, I need you to step up a
little bit.
And some guys get defensive, but I think a leader don't get defensive.
He takes on that challenge like, I'm going to, you know, I'm going to hold everybody
accountable.
I love it.
Now, some of these next because I only got you for actually, oh, we're making a good
time with 30 minutes in.
So these next questions are going to kind of be some fire questions, just your taking
a picture.
So for me, and then I'll give it to Kyle real quick.
(21:44):
If you had to pick a starting five, right, best starting five.
We've in our audience is crazy.
Like for me, man, for me, man, I think there's a few in there that are solidified.
Like for me, Jordan's the.
My favorite Shaq is also in the period at number five.
Thank you.
So when people are saying, obviously Shaq isn't even a top four center, he's a top
(22:05):
five center.
I'm like, come on, man, name a starting lineup that doesn't have a leader.
Come on, man, name a starting lineup that doesn't have Shaq in it at the five spot.
So my question to you is, who's your starting five?
You had to take take five players out of any era.
Any era I want Mike Colby, LeBron for.
(22:26):
Y'all might think I'm crazy, but I mean, I'll throw one European in there.
He's my favorite European of all time.
I put Dirk at the floor and I put Shaq to five.
Derek, I knew you were going to say Dirk.
Put Dirk at the floor.
He was a stopper.
I respect that.
I respect that.
Listen, I would go Colby with you, but Colby and Mike, they're one and the same.
Right.
So I got to go Steph, Mike.
(22:49):
I'm going Bron, I'm going KD and I'm going Shaq.
I like that.
I mean, I like Steph too.
You can't go wrong with that.
You can't go wrong with that.
I like Colb though, man.
I love Colb.
I'm a similar.
That's what I'm saying.
So I'm a Steph, Colby, Bron, and then I might have to throw my man Timmy at the floor.
Okay.
And then Shaq.
(23:09):
You're leaving Mike out.
Okay.
The only reason I say I'm leaving Mike out is because Colby and Mike are the same player.
So you can't get wrong either way.
That's my thought process.
I just grew up watching Colby.
So this automatically, you know what I'm saying?
Okay.
Okay.
That's my reason.
I can take it.
I can take it.
Yeah.
No disrespect to Mike.
I mean, obviously Mike is one of the best ever, in my opinion, the best to ever do it.
(23:32):
But at the same time, it's just like, you know, I grew up with Colby.
All right.
I got a few more for you because I know these topics go crazy online.
Eric Green, 500 million in career earnings or 50 million and five rings?
Which would you rather?
Oh, oh, yeah.
(23:52):
Let me get that.
Let me get the five ring to 50 million.
I'll take 50 million.
I can invest in that and flip it.
So I can.
Oh, damn.
Really?
Okay.
See, like, okay.
Look, I get it.
I get it.
My argument to a lot of the people in the chat was essentially, yeah, as long as you're smart,
either you can't go wrong with either one of them.
Except for the legacy is obviously buried with the 50 mil.
(24:13):
But at the same time, I'm looking at, let's say we all played in the league and you're the only
one with five rings and 50 mil and I got the 500 mil and I'm like, Eric, man, let's take this quick
trip over here and just hop on a plane, taking yours and you're like, bro, I ain't got it.
I ain't got it.
I'm like, yeah, that's what the fuck.
That they're probably they're probably gonna be a little crazy, but I still I mean 50 million,
(24:34):
a lot of money, man.
It is a lot of money for anybody period.
And plus, I'll say this to post career.
And I know a lot of athletes experience this with those five rings.
You have an instilled legacy that can't be changed.
And the shit that I think you could reap rewards from afterwards is unmatched.
So I'm with you on that, too.
Quick question.
This is actually going back to the leadership real quick.
(24:55):
As you can tell that Darion's favorite players is KD.
Kevin Durant.
He got him in every category.
But what do you think your leadership quality is?
Are you a vocal leader?
Are you just like a hard work leader?
Like, what is your leadership quality and with your teams?
I think just hard work.
I'm always working hard.
You know, I mean, I don't say too much.
(25:16):
I've never been a guy who like, you know, a raw type of guy.
You know, I just I'm very coachable.
I do what you asked me to do and I work my tail off every single day.
And, you know, that's just that's how I do it.
Are there a lot of language barriers there?
Or because you're playing overseas or is it just everybody kind of speaks English?
Or you just got to learn whatever whatever language that you got where you at?
(25:38):
How the hell does that work?
Honestly, man, a lot.
Everybody speaks English.
I mean, when your coach gets mad, he'll speak his language.
Like my coach speaks Serbian.
He'll get all mad and stuff.
We'll start speaking Serbian.
You don't know what the hell he's saying.
But you know what I mean?
For the most part, you don't worry about it.
If it's something important, they make sure it's in English and they you understand it.
Gotcha.
(25:58):
Are you taking it like the initiative to try to learn any Serbian?
Not really.
Spanish.
I picked up some Spanish.
So I know a little bit of that, but I'm not fluent or nothing like that.
No.
You say you know a little Spanish, which you know.
Pass me the ball.
Yeah, I know.
Pass me the ball and I'll shoot.
Oh, you know, the simple basics to get you by.
(26:20):
Right.
Good, good, good.
And so obviously we will have people around here that are going to be watching this and know you
and some idolize you, of course.
So when you start looking at people in a youthful age,
I know you probably get this question or have got this question a lot.
But what advice would you give those young kids that are starting out trying to trying to build
(26:41):
something, love basketball, have the dreams of being a basketball player
and love what you've done with your life and your career?
Man, I used to tell all the kids, man, really work hard because you're not competing.
People fail to realize you're not just competing against like the guys in America.
Basketball has expanded so much.
You're competing against guys in other countries, you know, Greece, Spain, Turkey, China,
(27:05):
NBA Africa.
Now, like it's coming from every angle and Europeans are starting to make a force in the league.
So it's like you really, really got to work extra hard to be able to make that goal come true.
And even if you don't make the NBA, man, I tell people all the time,
there's another way of making a living going across that water.
(27:26):
Being able to still do what you love, make good money, meet amazing people, get to see the world.
Like, you know, and it opens up your eyes so much that you probably have never, you know,
Kyle, you know, we come from Winchester, man.
I mean, you know, I don't, you know, coming to be able to see Greece and Spain and places like that.
It was like, wow, bro, like I get to see something crazy.
(27:49):
So just like, you know, just to work hard and, you know, like I said, there's different avenues.
Don't just think it's the NBA or nothing.
Of course, you know, try to get to the best of the best.
But if not, you can still make a living and enjoy life over this overseas.
I mean, you got the best of both worlds.
I mean, you got to see both.
Yeah, I did.
Right.
Like, with that being said, you have to say you chillin.
(28:09):
And because I think a lot of people like, like when you went there, the credibility when it came to
overseas, wherever that may be, I don't think it had that like that credibility there yet.
So I think everybody now has that respect for it.
Right.
I think a lot of people looked at overseas as if like you are you're not good enough to play in the NBA.
It's like that's far from true.
Like, like it's just that was just the opportunity for you there.
(28:32):
But with that being said, do you think, you know, if you had the opportunity, would you come back to the NBA?
I think the NBA is going in the direction of the youth, like the young guys.
They want the young guys and stuff like that.
I would love to come back, play for my friends and family and be at home.
But I mean, I got, you know, I'm respected, really well respected out here.
I got a great name.
(28:53):
You know, they treat me really well.
I enjoyed living overseas.
It's you know, I've gotten so used to it.
It's I enjoy it.
You know, I'm happy where I'm at, where I'm at.
You know, I would love to go back.
But, you know, I can't complain.
I'm blessed to be able to do what I love and continue to still play at a high level over here.
Exactly.
All right, man.
So we're about 45 minutes in.
(29:14):
I've enjoyed this probably more than you can even even know, Eric.
And so part of the reason that Kyle and I had even talked about bringing you on here is because
we've established a really good platform.
And I think that stories like yours, especially yours, where like, well, like Kyle said earlier on,
undersized but one continue to compete and work hard adversity in that first year of VT
(29:38):
overcame that ACC scoring chance that like the shit is crazy.
And then to be able to come from a town as small.
I mean, it's bigger now, small as ours is and see your name on an NBA draft board.
Go through that first year.
See what that's like.
Make a name for yourself on the overseas platform.
Like you said, you're well respected that we know and that we can see and still carry on a legacy
(30:00):
that's that's bigger than the green name.
I love it.
And I think that's a story that needs to be shared.
So, man, I know I don't know how much it means, but when we talked about this,
one of the things we kept saying was how proud we were at the end of the day.
I want to wrap this up and say thank you.
But do you have any last words that you would like to say to our audience?
Man, thank you all for having me, man.
(30:21):
I loved it.
I actually brought back a lot of memories and I'm glad I got a chance to share my experience
with everybody who gets to see this and watch this and listen to it.
Just for the young kids, man, I just I will hope all your dreams come true, man.
If you work hard, you know what I mean?
Stay in the gym, focus, lock in, man, anything is possible.
(30:42):
And if you really want something, man, you can go get it.
It's definitely reachable from small towns, big towns, it don't matter where you're from.
Man, anything can happen.
You know, he's my brother, he's my friend.
He's my teammate.
He ain't been through the constant grind just like me.
He was underrated and just like me.
(31:30):
I think it's good time right here.
(31:51):
Eric Green from Castle Rock.
Any shout out to Eric?
Oh, just shout out to my family, my friends.
So welcome back to Entirely Media.
(00:02):
This is Entirely NBA and we're here with one of our favorite people.
Before we get started, let's just list off some accolades of my guy here.
High school state champion, ACC player of the year,
leading scorer that last year drafted in 2013 and then went overseas to become an overseas phenom.
I want to welcome Eric Green.
How you doing, man?
Thank you. How you doing, man? Thanks for having me, man.
(00:27):
Start off easy.
I just want to talk about what your favorite childhood memory?
Oh, man.
Probably when my father got the team the rising stars together,
just for the fact that we grew up together since we were like seven, eight years old
and accomplished so much from winning a national championship to a high school state championship.
So, you know, doing that from eight to like 16, 17 years old, man,
(00:50):
it was that was probably my favorite childhood memory because we started so young together.
I want to talk about that.
So we like to start early on.
What was it actually like winning that first state championship?
Man, it was crazy because, you know, like from our city, man, no one's ever done it.
So, you know, being able to be the first ones to do it, man, it was a heck of an accomplishment.
(01:13):
And then you get to do it with your brothers.
Like I said, those guys I've been playing with since I was like eight years old.
So that's been I was even made it better. Right.
So that's that's a hell of a feeling.
And then if I remember correctly, you went from obviously winning that state championship
to heading over to Paul to six. Is that correct?
Yeah, that's correct. Yep.
They ended up retiring your jersey.
If I'm not mistaken, you won another state championship over there, too.
Yeah. So you just just been winning.
(01:35):
You've been winning the whole time.
So like, what is that feeling like after Paul to six?
Did you see like NBA dreams?
Did you see like going from there?
Was that just something that you just like, I'm just going to keep playing, keep winning?
Man, honestly, no, I didn't even think NBA.
I mean, of course, you know, all of our dreams as kids is like NBA, NBA.
You know, so you work hard towards it.
But I mean, it's just like a goal I had.
(01:56):
I didn't really see it come in
until probably like my junior senior year of college when I was like, oh, I got a chance.
But from the most part, man, it was just honestly just working hard.
Like I was like, man, my mom, my dad, like, you know, growing up, it was very competitive.
Like we were always taught, if you're going to do something,
do it at your best and always try to be, you know, win.
(02:16):
So, you know, that was installed in us very early.
So not only was dad big on that, but mom was to.
Yeah, mom was huge. Mom played college basketball.
Mom was a shooter. Mom was really good as well.
So, yeah, she was she was hard on us a lot, man.
OK, so high school championship, Paul, the sixth.
What went into that process of actually joining Virginia Tech?
(02:38):
Man, my dream was to play in the ACC.
My first offer, I was going to go to either George Mason with coach Larry Nega,
who is at Miami now.
But, you know, Virginia Tech came and I was like, Maggie to play.
You know, my favorite team grew up was Duke.
So I was like, I'm not getting looked at by Duke.
So the closest I'll probably get is Virginia Tech.
So, you know, playing in ACC, Duke, Carolina,
they say it's the best basketball in the country.
(02:59):
So I was like, man, I want to challenge and, you know, I took it on.
Gotcha. OK. Not only did you take it on, I know the first.
So what I want to talk about is the emotional aspect of that first year,
because I read I know it was a little rough.
It was what, you know, two point six points or shooting percentages.
I know what that feels like right to not perform the way you want to perform.
You were quoted, though, saying that first year turned you into a gym rep.
(03:24):
So what was the emotional feeling like experiencing the lower percentages
and the lesser performance and then diving deep into that hard work
to obviously get to that fourth year where God damn you were doing it?
What was that like?
Man, I mean, it was, you know, when you come in from high school,
you know, from my city, like you're the man, everybody, you know, praises you.
Everybody's saying how good you are.
(03:44):
And then you get a really nice, humble experience.
You know, when you go to college and you realize like,
you know, you were the best of the best.
Those guys, there's guys here that are like the best where they are at, too.
And they're older, they're more, you know, physical, physically ready.
You know, I came into college at like one fifty five.
So I was like a skinny mini man.
I didn't really I didn't have I was always talented.
(04:05):
Like I worked hard, but I didn't really know what hard work was.
And I tell kids that all the time.
Like you think you're working hard, but you have no idea
what like working hard really is to make it to that next level.
And, you know, my first year, I mean, I'm not going to lie to you,
I didn't work hard like I was going through the motions.
I was happy to be there.
You know, I really wasn't playing a lot.
So I was like kind of felt like I was, you know, once you're in the middle
(04:26):
of the season, you're kind of stuck like either I can continue to work hard.
I'm just going to stay stuck where I'm at and just get through this season.
And I stayed stuck where I was at and just got through the season.
And, you know, when I when you had guys like Malcolm Delaney,
Derenzo Hudson, Jeff Allen, guys who are vets and that were in the gym
all the time and watching them, I'm like, man, like, I'm going to be
like, man, like Malcolm's all American.
(04:46):
I want to be like him one day.
So getting the experience of that was, you know, that motivated me.
And I wanted to be the best of the best.
And I got complacent my freshman year.
I remember getting like fan mail stuff.
People were like, we wasted a scholarship on this kid.
You know, you read these little things people sent to you and stuff.
Yeah. So it kind of like it hurt me, man.
(05:06):
You know, we have feelings too as who was a young kid.
I was like, man, I don't know if I'm going to be good enough for this.
But, you know, I come from a family where we don't run.
You know, you buckle down and you work harder and you grind and, you know,
and you make the most out of what you know, what you do, where you're at.
And that's what I did, man.
Like just saying, like, that was your first time running to adversity
when it came to like your basketball career.
(05:27):
Like, was that something that was that a self motivating thing?
Like you said, just watching other people like grind, getting what they get,
like getting accolades they had.
And then you just like, look, I got to get in the gym.
Like, I can't I can't be just a real man.
Just a regular dude.
Yeah, no, for sure.
You know, it really motivated me is when you hear another
another point guards coming in the following year.
(05:48):
So we had another guy coming in.
Yeah. So it was like, they signed another point guard.
I'm like, oh, wow.
Like, they don't like me or I got to, you know, pick this shit up, man.
You know, it was a choice or you can run.
You know what I mean? Like you can transfer and not have to competing work harder.
But, you know, I took the challenge on, man.
Like, I honestly, I got my butt in the gym.
I put on weight, locked in and it all worked out.
(06:10):
It definitely did.
Shit, I'd say.
So for people that don't know, as we talked about that freshman year,
it was what it was.
But when we say this man really got in the gym and did work,
he did that by his senior year.
Dude, not only one ACC player of the year, but was a leading
scorer in the whole national elite level at 25 points.
And so when we start looking at some of those names that are also on that list,
(06:32):
Air Greens, number one, passing guys that we well are well known,
such as CJ McCollum, Doug McDermott, Caldwell Pope was even in class that year.
So it's it's insane to say
it's fucking insane.
So what I want to know then, obviously, coming off of that,
what was that feeling like knowing or maybe not even knowing
(06:53):
what your next steps would be after your senior year?
What kind of emotions do you have there?
I was a roller coaster because, I mean, honestly, man,
college is the best time of your life.
Like, you know what I mean?
So it's like coming to a point where, you know, back then
we didn't really know too much about overseas basketball because we
I mean, Instagram was just starting to pop off, but it really wasn't covering
it is like it is now.
So, you know, in my head, I really was like, OK, I hear about overseas,
(07:17):
but you don't really know about it.
You know what I mean?
Are they these guys even make money like you don't know nothing?
So I was just like, oh, man.
So, you know, just the whole NBA.
Once I started my senior year, people were like,
yo, man, you got a chance to get drafted.
I came back from the CP three camp they do in the summer of the top point guards.
And I performed there really well.
I come back on campus and I'll never forget, like someone sent me something on Facebook.
(07:40):
I was like a draft board and I was like 50 something and I was like, oh my gosh,
like, you know, damn, I'm on a draft board.
So that just added to my confidence even more.
And I just took off from there.
So a lot of people get complacent with that.
So that was something that just kept on, made you push further
to try to get higher up in the draft class or were you just kind of just like,
hey, I'm on the board.
You know what I'm saying? Not many people can even make it to the board.
(08:03):
So you were on the board to get to the NBA or was that something that gave you more motivation?
Yeah, it gave me more motivation. I wanted to be a first round pick.
That was my whole intent.
Like, you know, I had like I had so in my locker,
I had a list of all the top point guards that came out with like the top 25 point guards.
And, you know, I used to put a title, I taped it to my locker
and I got a chance to go up against, you know, playing in the ACC,
(08:23):
you know, guys in Carolina, Duke, that names were on the list.
I went up against Marcus Smart.
So I got all these names. I'm like, all right, these guys are ahead of me.
Like, I'm going to take it on as a challenge.
Like, I want to show everybody I'm better, you know, and, you know, that's what I did.
I really took it every night.
I went out there, I wanted to destroy whoever was in front of me
and I wanted to show everybody I was a first round pick.
(08:44):
I love it. So what was that draft process like for you?
That was a dream, man.
Just be able to just to go through, like go to city to city, travel,
get to work out for these teams, meet all these different people,
play against the workout against the best of the best.
Like it was it was crazy. It was unreal for me.
I never thought a kid from Winchester experienced something like that.
(09:04):
You know what I mean? Like.
And then the cool thing was, you know, my whole life, I've been chasing people.
Like, you know, I wanted to, you know, I'm chasing, I'm chasing.
But now I'm being chased.
People want to be where I'm at.
People are trying to come for me.
And, you know, you hear your name now and it's like, wow, like I've come a long, long way.
You know what I mean? Yeah, that's very true.
I want to know. So obviously, you said you were working out,
just like most people do for various teams before the draft.
(09:27):
Was there one particular workout that stands out in your mind?
Like, damn, I think I killed that. I may be able to go here.
Yeah, I thought Milwaukee, Milwaukee was I think I will pick the head like the 20s.
And I killed that workout.
You know, the coaches were talking to me like, man, we're going to
if you're available late 20s, we're going to take you.
(09:47):
I'm like, yeah, yeah. You know, and
that was one where I thought it was a guarantee.
I was locked in for them because and I got called back twice.
So, you know, they brought me the first time and I did well.
Then the second time they wanted to see me up against somebody else.
I forgot who it was and I played really well.
And, you know, they went with somebody else.
That's just part of the business.
So by the time you ended up getting to the league, it was a second round, 46 pick
(10:12):
to Denver. Like, how was that?
Like, what was your first year like when you went there?
Like going like playing with Ty Lawson and and all them.
It was crazy.
I mean, I remember my first day of training camp and practice.
I'll never forget like we're doing like two on two drills and
Javelle McGee and J.J.
Hicks and their garden each other and Javelle McGee is like seven foot, seven
one where his arms are long, crazy long.
(10:36):
J.J. Hicks and took one dribble and just dunked right over top of him.
And I'm just looking like, wow, I'm in a whole like I'm in a whole new ball game.
Like your bigs is just as fast as your guards.
You know what I mean? Like it's just the NBA is a whole different animal.
You're like, you better really come to play every day.
So that was really like my first eye opening moment was like, wow, I'm here.
(10:57):
Like, I'm really here.
So that was that was cool. But it was an awesome experience, man.
I'm glad you said that, because that's actually what I was going to ask to.
What was kind of that welcome? A lot of people have it, whether it's on the court
or in a practice or various other experiences.
So I'm glad to hear that was your last stop.
So obviously, the first year went the way it went.
I love to see you out there.
I mean, you competed against some good guards.
(11:19):
One pitcher that I saw that I really liked was he taking up beautiful.
Mid-range jumper. Trey Burke had his hand up.
I was like, damn, that's that's that's one moment you can always say.
Like that's fly.
What actually came down to your decision to start pursuing basketball overseas?
What the second year coming in with getting released from Denver, then did the G League,
(11:41):
got picked up by Utah and did that whole thing.
And then going into that summer, my agent was like, hey, man, you got a great
opportunity overseas. It's a lot, a lot of money tax free.
And it's going to, you know, play at the highest level in Europe and get you back into the NBA.
So I was like, you know, let me think about it.
You know, I didn't want to keep going to the G League.
(12:02):
And I mean, the offer was crazy.
So, I mean, it was seven figures.
I was like, man, at this age, I'm 20 something years old,
but make seven figures tax free.
Like, this is going to be crazy.
So and opportunity to play the best of the best.
And I was like, I can't I can't I can't beat it.
So, you know, I took it on.
And that was that was a whole other challenge as well in my life.
(12:23):
Is the NBA and the Euro League, is it that much different?
Like when it comes to the talent, because like you said, people in the NBA,
you know, your centers are just as fast as your guards, everybody's stupid athletic,
all this stuff. Like, was it still that same change going over to the early like going overseas?
Yes and no.
Because there's a lot of guys over here at the Euro League, man, that could play in the NBA,
(12:45):
but they get paid more here than they do there because of the tax.
But I mean, it was it's smarter.
You got to be really smart.
This is basketball over here.
Like, it's not really too much athleticism.
You know, you got to really know how to play basketball, shoot the three, play as a team.
Like there might be one game you play 25 minutes, one game you might play 15 minutes.
So it's just like up and down.
(13:06):
Like you got to learn how to manage that type of stuff, too.
So it was definitely a challenge from the NBA to Euro League.
It's it is two completely different games.
But I mean, you've had tremendous success over there.
Italian Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup MVP, Spanish Super Cup winner.
That was in 2017 Turkish Cup winner.
Tell me how to say this, Eric.
It's the M-O-N-T-E-N-E-G-R-I-N.
(13:27):
What the hell is that?
It's the Montenegrin League.
Yes.
Yes.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
But anyway, so tremendous success there.
So and you're still over there.
Obviously, like you said, the money is amazing.
And obviously, you still get to pursue your dreams.
You're playing at a high level.
And it's funny, too.
Kyle brought up a good question of the talent difference, right?
(13:48):
One of the biggest misconceptions is that it's easier over there.
While it may seem easier over there in a physicality standpoint,
the mental aspect and how these guys play on a strategic level
is hands down one of the best.
So I applaud you for being able to go over there and dominate.
That's such a hell of a thing to do.
I appreciate that.
Thank you, man.
This got more personal for me, but I don't know if you remember a while ago
(14:10):
when you were still in tech.
I went out there and I was chilling with you there
and I was asking you some of these same questions.
It's kind of weird how in the future now we actually doing as an interview.
But the biggest thing that kind of stuck with me
because I was still whooping, chasing my hooped dreams, all that good stuff.
The biggest thing you stuck with me is the fact that you were like,
I'm not the most athletic.
(14:30):
I'm not the strongest.
I'm not the biggest.
But I'm smarter than everybody on the court.
So everybody I play against, I'm smarter than them.
So I can just beat them because my IQ when it comes to the court.
And so now that you're saying it now, you're in the Euro League, killing it over there.
It kind of all ends up playing out.
It's just like, you have the talent.
You've always been talented.
(14:50):
And you said that you don't have like, you were talking about earlier, like six, four.
Like, you know what I'm saying?
You're not like in the NBA or in the NBA, that's like short.
Right.
You're short to everybody else.
But you still perform in at a high level.
So I really respect that.
And it just stuck with me ever since.
So I was tough.
I appreciate that, bro.
Thanks, man.
(15:11):
What's a typical workout schedule look like for you?
Oh, man.
Offseason or during the season?
Well, give me both.
Give me offseason first.
Offseason, man, I get up around like seven, seven fifteen.
I got to be at the gym at eight for my strength and conditioning, footwork, stuff like that.
Then after that, grab some breakfast, you know, something to eat.
(15:32):
And then I go work out my shooting coach skills work.
We do skills.
We do that for about an hour.
And then sometimes, you know, maybe twice a week, we play pickup right after we get done with that.
And then at nighttime, man, you come and get some shots up.
That's when I really feel like your body's tired.
You're really tired.
You don't want to do it.
You know, let's be real.
You sit at the crib, you're like, man, I don't want to go back to the gym, man.
(15:54):
But you got to do it, man.
If you try to continue to be successful, play at a high level, you got to get that work in.
And, you know, that's that's a day for me, man.
Every day in the offseason.
That's that's my that's my day.
During season is just a lot of just team practices, team bonding, like, yeah.
Yeah.
Like today, man, we had weights at 11, then practice at 12.
And I stay after every day of practice.
(16:15):
30 minutes, like 20, 20, 30 minutes, man.
Just getting shots up, working on not even doing too much running, nothing like that.
Just doing, you know, a few steps.
Continue my repetition, repetitions, you know, continue just to stay on my flow, man.
And that's it, man.
That's really it.
And then just go get the treatment.
I take care of my body every day.
I'm learning that.
Take care of your body, man.
That's important.
(16:37):
That longevity is needed.
I'm trying to play for another five, six years.
I'm trying to get out.
I want to.
It's hard to get up in the morning sometimes.
It's hard.
I believe it.
They're making it hard for everybody.
Yeah, you're right about that.
Tell me, so being overseas, is there a moment that you remember of one of the toughest guards
you had to go against?
(16:58):
Yeah, man, I remember I was playing against Luca and I remember coming home
and I'm like, yo, y'all, like, there's this dude over there named Luca Donjans.
Yo, he is like that.
And, you know, Americans, they kind of like, yeah, right, man.
I know European is good.
Yeah, right.
I'm like, man, yo, listen, he's killing grown men at 17.
Like this kid is nice.
Like, and honestly, I don't really I don't really walk away from games like, oh, yeah,
(17:22):
yeah, like he's really, really tough.
Like, you know, but when I left that game, I was like, yo, who is this kid?
You know what I mean?
Like, I was like, yo, like, yeah.
For being 17, his IQ, his physical, you know, you know, he was strong, like he could shoot
his cocky.
I'm like, yo, who the hell like where this kid come from?
You know what I mean?
(17:43):
So that was I was like, yo, this dude, this dude, a real deal.
Mike James, Mike James is the real deal.
I like going playing against Mike.
Mike is, you know, he bring the best out of you.
He can get to it, man.
He really gets to it.
I love it.
What about just in the NBA?
Who was the toughest person you guarded?
Man, I mean, Kyrie, I got a chance to guard Kyrie.
I got a chance to guard Steph.
(18:05):
I mean, they were everybody's tough, man.
But I mean, I got to practice against Todd Lawson.
At that time, Todd Lawson was one of the best guards in the league.
You know, like he was definitely.
You can't you could not stay in front of him, man.
Every day in practice, he was busting my ass.
You know what I mean?
Like you just can't stay in front of the guy.
Like in all the space, you can't help in the NBA.
So it's just one on one.
Congratulations.
Got kid.
Thank you, bro.
(18:25):
Yes, sir.
How was that?
How was that like separating that with all the like off season workouts during season
workouts and then still making good time for your family?
Oh, man, it's tough.
It was it's not really as bad because my family likes to come to the gym with me.
So, you know, they would be in the gym with me all the time.
So it's cool.
My girl was a she used to play college basketball.
So she loves basketball.
(18:47):
So she always in a gym, you know.
So, you know, my son and my daughter, every time we together, man, we in the gym.
We we love to be in the gym.
So, you know, it's it's not it's not really too bad.
Sometimes, you know, the hardest part is being away from your family.
You know, I mean, when you're trying to work and you got to get ready and they're far away
and stuff, that's probably the hardest part.
(19:07):
Just missing them and wishing they could be there with you.
So off the subject of just sports in general,
when it comes to being a father, what is one lesson that you want to try to instill into your child?
Man, that's a great question.
I'll tell you what kids do make you work on.
It was your patience.
But, you know, one thing I really want to install and it was a work ethic.
(19:32):
Not just on the court of I'm off the court with people to like, be a good person, man.
And it's one thing my parents taught me.
You can be a great athlete and all that, but be a great person.
That's going to take you further than anything in the world.
And that's what's gotten me to where I'm at, you know, and been a great dude.
No problems.
I still today say yes, sir.
No, man.
People look at me like I'm crazy.
Like you a grown man saying it to other people.
(19:52):
I'm just like, it's like this is what I'm saying.
No, you know, so I get it every day.
But that's the one thing I want to teach him.
Like, you know, hard work, man.
We're going to try to be the best as we can be on the court, but be the best person we
can be off the court as well.
And that's something I want to install into my kids.
Going back to the court real quick, one of our best performing videos was a take on
(20:16):
leadership.
So from your standpoint, what does it mean to be a leader?
One, the court and two, do you believe that it's the best player on the court that's
normally the best leader?
Because I don't think that's the case.
I'm with you.
I don't think the best the best leader has to be the best player.
I played on teams all the time where, you know, the best leader, you know, he's the
(20:37):
most vocal, the hardest worker every single day, man.
He's in the gym.
He's out working everybody.
He's you know, he's a person that you can't say nothing back to because like he does
everything you know, he's the best leader.
He's a person that you can't say nothing back to because like he does everything you
know, he holds himself accountable, he holds everybody else accountable.
You know what I mean?
And you know, that's something I look at when somebody's talking to me like, bro,
(20:59):
you putting in the work or you doing it?
You can't just be talking if you ain't doing it.
But yeah, being a leader, man, I just think is just you don't always have to be the
most loudest person in the room to be a leader.
Just doing things the right way, working your tail off every day, being coachable,
you know, you know, being able to be able to talk to your teammates.
That's big without having, you know, feeling like someone's attacking you, you know,
(21:21):
just trying to be able to give him advice and be like, hey, I need you to step up a
little bit.
And some guys get defensive, but I think a leader don't get defensive.
He takes on that challenge like, I'm going to, you know, I'm going to hold everybody
accountable.
I love it.
Now, some of these next because I only got you for actually, oh, we're making a good
time with 30 minutes in.
So these next questions are going to kind of be some fire questions, just your taking
a picture.
So for me, and then I'll give it to Kyle real quick.
(21:44):
If you had to pick a starting five, right, best starting five.
We've in our audience is crazy.
Like for me, man, for me, man, I think there's a few in there that are solidified.
Like for me, Jordan's the.
My favorite Shaq is also in the period at number five.
Thank you.
So when people are saying, obviously Shaq isn't even a top four center, he's a top
(22:05):
five center.
I'm like, come on, man, name a starting lineup that doesn't have a leader.
Come on, man, name a starting lineup that doesn't have Shaq in it at the five spot.
So my question to you is, who's your starting five?
You had to take take five players out of any era.
Any era I want Mike Colby, LeBron for.
(22:26):
Y'all might think I'm crazy, but I mean, I'll throw one European in there.
He's my favorite European of all time.
I put Dirk at the floor and I put Shaq to five.
Derek, I knew you were going to say Dirk.
Put Dirk at the floor.
He was a stopper.
I respect that.
I respect that.
Listen, I would go Colby with you, but Colby and Mike, they're one and the same.
Right.
So I got to go Steph, Mike.
(22:49):
I'm going Bron, I'm going KD and I'm going Shaq.
I like that.
I mean, I like Steph too.
You can't go wrong with that.
You can't go wrong with that.
I like Colb though, man.
I love Colb.
I'm a similar.
That's what I'm saying.
So I'm a Steph, Colby, Bron, and then I might have to throw my man Timmy at the floor.
Okay.
And then Shaq.
(23:09):
You're leaving Mike out.
Okay.
The only reason I say I'm leaving Mike out is because Colby and Mike are the same player.
So you can't get wrong either way.
That's my thought process.
I just grew up watching Colby.
So this automatically, you know what I'm saying?
Okay.
Okay.
That's my reason.
I can take it.
I can take it.
Yeah.
No disrespect to Mike.
I mean, obviously Mike is one of the best ever, in my opinion, the best to ever do it.
(23:32):
But at the same time, it's just like, you know, I grew up with Colby.
All right.
I got a few more for you because I know these topics go crazy online.
Eric Green, 500 million in career earnings or 50 million and five rings?
Which would you rather?
Oh, oh, yeah.
(23:52):
Let me get that.
Let me get the five ring to 50 million.
I'll take 50 million.
I can invest in that and flip it.
So I can.
Oh, damn.
Really?
Okay.
See, like, okay.
Look, I get it.
I get it.
My argument to a lot of the people in the chat was essentially, yeah, as long as you're smart,
either you can't go wrong with either one of them.
Except for the legacy is obviously buried with the 50 mil.
(24:13):
But at the same time, I'm looking at, let's say we all played in the league and you're the only
one with five rings and 50 mil and I got the 500 mil and I'm like, Eric, man, let's take this quick
trip over here and just hop on a plane, taking yours and you're like, bro, I ain't got it.
I ain't got it.
I'm like, yeah, that's what the fuck.
That they're probably they're probably gonna be a little crazy, but I still I mean 50 million,
(24:34):
a lot of money, man.
It is a lot of money for anybody period.
And plus, I'll say this to post career.
And I know a lot of athletes experience this with those five rings.
You have an instilled legacy that can't be changed.
And the shit that I think you could reap rewards from afterwards is unmatched.
So I'm with you on that, too.
Quick question.
This is actually going back to the leadership real quick.
(24:55):
As you can tell that Darion's favorite players is KD.
Kevin Durant.
He got him in every category.
But what do you think your leadership quality is?
Are you a vocal leader?
Are you just like a hard work leader?
Like, what is your leadership quality and with your teams?
I think just hard work.
I'm always working hard.
You know, I mean, I don't say too much.
(25:16):
I've never been a guy who like, you know, a raw type of guy.
You know, I just I'm very coachable.
I do what you asked me to do and I work my tail off every single day.
And, you know, that's just that's how I do it.
Are there a lot of language barriers there?
Or because you're playing overseas or is it just everybody kind of speaks English?
Or you just got to learn whatever whatever language that you got where you at?
(25:38):
How the hell does that work?
Honestly, man, a lot.
Everybody speaks English.
I mean, when your coach gets mad, he'll speak his language.
Like my coach speaks Serbian.
He'll get all mad and stuff.
We'll start speaking Serbian.
You don't know what the hell he's saying.
But you know what I mean?
For the most part, you don't worry about it.
If it's something important, they make sure it's in English and they you understand it.
Gotcha.
(25:58):
Are you taking it like the initiative to try to learn any Serbian?
Not really.
Spanish.
I picked up some Spanish.
So I know a little bit of that, but I'm not fluent or nothing like that.
No.
You say you know a little Spanish, which you know.
Pass me the ball.
Yeah, I know.
Pass me the ball and I'll shoot.
Oh, you know, the simple basics to get you by.
(26:20):
Right.
Good, good, good.
And so obviously we will have people around here that are going to be watching this and know you
and some idolize you, of course.
So when you start looking at people in a youthful age,
I know you probably get this question or have got this question a lot.
But what advice would you give those young kids that are starting out trying to trying to build
(26:41):
something, love basketball, have the dreams of being a basketball player
and love what you've done with your life and your career?
Man, I used to tell all the kids, man, really work hard because you're not competing.
People fail to realize you're not just competing against like the guys in America.
Basketball has expanded so much.
You're competing against guys in other countries, you know, Greece, Spain, Turkey, China,
(27:05):
NBA Africa.
Now, like it's coming from every angle and Europeans are starting to make a force in the league.
So it's like you really, really got to work extra hard to be able to make that goal come true.
And even if you don't make the NBA, man, I tell people all the time,
there's another way of making a living going across that water.
(27:26):
Being able to still do what you love, make good money, meet amazing people, get to see the world.
Like, you know, and it opens up your eyes so much that you probably have never, you know,
Kyle, you know, we come from Winchester, man.
I mean, you know, I don't, you know, coming to be able to see Greece and Spain and places like that.
It was like, wow, bro, like I get to see something crazy.
(27:49):
So just like, you know, just to work hard and, you know, like I said, there's different avenues.
Don't just think it's the NBA or nothing.
Of course, you know, try to get to the best of the best.
But if not, you can still make a living and enjoy life over this overseas.
I mean, you got the best of both worlds.
I mean, you got to see both.
Yeah, I did.
Right.
Like, with that being said, you have to say you chillin.
(28:09):
And because I think a lot of people like, like when you went there, the credibility when it came to
overseas, wherever that may be, I don't think it had that like that credibility there yet.
So I think everybody now has that respect for it.
Right.
I think a lot of people looked at overseas as if like you are you're not good enough to play in the NBA.
It's like that's far from true.
Like, like it's just that was just the opportunity for you there.
(28:32):
But with that being said, do you think, you know, if you had the opportunity, would you come back to the NBA?
I think the NBA is going in the direction of the youth, like the young guys.
They want the young guys and stuff like that.
I would love to come back, play for my friends and family and be at home.
But I mean, I got, you know, I'm respected, really well respected out here.
I got a great name.
(28:53):
You know, they treat me really well.
I enjoyed living overseas.
It's you know, I've gotten so used to it.
It's I enjoy it.
You know, I'm happy where I'm at, where I'm at.
You know, I would love to go back.
But, you know, I can't complain.
I'm blessed to be able to do what I love and continue to still play at a high level over here.
Exactly.
All right, man.
So we're about 45 minutes in.
(29:14):
I've enjoyed this probably more than you can even even know, Eric.
And so part of the reason that Kyle and I had even talked about bringing you on here is because
we've established a really good platform.
And I think that stories like yours, especially yours, where like, well, like Kyle said earlier on,
undersized but one continue to compete and work hard adversity in that first year of VT
(29:38):
overcame that ACC scoring chance that like the shit is crazy.
And then to be able to come from a town as small.
I mean, it's bigger now, small as ours is and see your name on an NBA draft board.
Go through that first year.
See what that's like.
Make a name for yourself on the overseas platform.
Like you said, you're well respected that we know and that we can see and still carry on a legacy
(30:00):
that's that's bigger than the green name.
I love it.
And I think that's a story that needs to be shared.
So, man, I know I don't know how much it means, but when we talked about this,
one of the things we kept saying was how proud we were at the end of the day.
I want to wrap this up and say thank you.
But do you have any last words that you would like to say to our audience?
Man, thank you all for having me, man.
(30:21):
I loved it.
I actually brought back a lot of memories and I'm glad I got a chance to share my experience
with everybody who gets to see this and watch this and listen to it.
Just for the young kids, man, I just I will hope all your dreams come true, man.
If you work hard, you know what I mean?
Stay in the gym, focus, lock in, man, anything is possible.
(30:42):
And if you really want something, man, you can go get it.
It's definitely reachable from small towns, big towns, it don't matter where you're from.
Man, anything can happen.
You know, he's my brother, he's my friend.
He's my teammate.
He ain't been through the constant grind just like me.
He was underrated and just like me.
(31:30):
I think it's good time right here.
(31:51):
Eric Green from Castle Rock.
Any shout out to Eric?
Oh, just shout out to my family, my friends.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.