Green’s recovery is a slam dunk
In the 2011-2012 season, the Celtics did not just lose a shot at a championship title, they also lost a player. Before the season even began, Jeff Green was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm during a physical. He thought his career was over and would be lucky to live a normal life free of any health complications.
Fast forward a year and Jeff Green is an integral part of the 2012-2013 Celtics team. In a sport that requires high volumes of energy and sprints, Green is extremely fortunate that his heart has healed enough to take a pounding from playing professional basketball on a regular basis.
Early after the surgery, he was robbed of all strength. He said he remembers being overcome with fatigue from simply walking around with his friends. As time went on, he began to heal. He progressed to working out to prepare for the upcoming season. By May, he was back on the court, getting into his old rhythm that made him a dynamic player before the injury. He then went on to preseason and starred, proving to the world that he was ready to play for the Celtics in the upcoming season.
Now, over a year removed from his life saving surgery, Jeff Green is back on the court and a key cog in the “green machine.” So far in the 2012-2013 season, Green has played in all 31 games, averaging 23.4 minutes per game, behind only five other players on the entire team. Green may not be a member of the “big three,” but he is a force off the bench and is essential when it comes to giving the starters a break.
“I show the scar off whenever I can,” Green said in an interview with Boston.com. “It is a part of me now. I love it. It is a reminder that I’ve battled something that a lot of people doubted I was going to come back from.”
For Green, his surgery did not completely derail his career; it made him stronger and serves as inspiration for him and his fans. Green will do big things in Boston, not just because of his skill on the court but because he’s got heart.
