Jeff Green Discusses Being A NBA Champion After Having Open Heart Surgery 11 Years Ago
After 16 years of playing and being a part of 11 teams, 36-year-old Jeff Green is now a NBA champion.
On Monday night, Green assisted the Nuggets in beating the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
When the game was over, Green spoke about the hardest time in his career. In the 2011-2012 season, he hadn’t played as an aortic root aneurysm was found while a physical took place during preseason.
“Man, I can’t even put it into words. This is what you live for, all the sacrifice, all the blood, sweat and tears– the countless hours. For me, going through the surgery, 11 teams, adapted to every environment, this is what it was all for. All that sacrifice, it paid off,” Green expressed.
In 2007, Green began his career with the Celtics and was then traded to the Seattle Supersonics. He was later traded back to the Celtics and eventually to the Grizzlies. In 2021, he joined the Denver Nuggets.
Many fans are now celebrating after Green endured open heart surgery in 2012 and is now a NBA champion 11 years later.
