My Two Cents: Former Hoosier Devonte Green Enjoys Brother's NBA Title From Afar

Indiana grad Devonte Green is over in Greece getting ready to start his own professional career, but he was thrilled to watch his big brother Danny Green win another NBA title after spending all summer with him in Los Angeles.

Blood is thicker than, well, anything. And even though former Hoosier Devonte Green is thousands of miles away in Greece, ready to start his own professional basketball career this week, he was still thrilled to watch his big brother Danny Green win another NBA title on Sunday night.

Even though the Green brothers were born 10 years apart, they have become very close, especially in the past few years. Devonte, who played four years at Indiana from 2016 to 2020, has loved watching his brother's NBA career, and Danny has always been there for Devonte during his up-and-down career. He's been to Bloomington on several occasions to watch little brother play.

And what was really nice for both of them was that they spent most of the summer together in Los Angeles during the basketball shutdown forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. They worked out together for several months, and Devonte got plenty of great experience working out often with several Los Angeles Lakers players.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers won the title Sunday night, beating the Miami Heat 106-93. A lot was made after the game about James winning his fourth title, with three different teams. Well, Danny Green has done the same thing, too, one of only four players to do so. (Robert Horry and John Salley are the other two.)

Devonte Green signed with Greek team Trikoupis BC of the Greece A1 League, the country's top league. Their league season starts on Saturday. 

"With COVID circumstances and the uncertainty of the NBA/G-League season, going overseas is the best opportunity for me to stay active and showcase my talent," Green said in mid-August when he signed his first deal. "So when the NBA/G-League starts back up, I'll have the option to come back to play professionally in America. I'll keep chasing my dream until the wheels fall off."

Devonte is shooter, as is his brother. In fact, by the time Sunday's game ended, Danny Green was up to No. 13 all-time in three-pointers made in the playoffs.

Even from afar, it made for a nice night for the Green family. Especially after the title could have come two nights earlier. Green had an open three-pointer on the Lakers' last possession Friday night in Game 5, but it didn't go know. The career 42-percent three-point shooter in the NBA Finals took many hits from trolls on social media.

Green ignored them, but his fiancée, Blair Bashen, told him that they've received a lot of cyberbullying — and even some death threats.

"I had to ask, 'Are you getting death threats?'" Green said in a videoconference Sunday. "And she said, 'Yeah, you are too,' and I was like, I don’t know, because I don’t really pay attention or care. Nor am I upset, shaken or worried about it. I’m just not one of those types of people. I probably should be a little more paranoid or safe about things."

Green said he's not letting it bother him. But added that he wishes those people would use their voice for another cause.

"It’s a basketball game," Green said. "People are emotional, fans are emotional. I hope they don’t take it that seriously. I hope they are that passionate about voting or getting justice for these people who deserve justice or get some better change along in the country. 

"But it’s a basketball game at the end of the day. And I know that they’re just taking out their emotions and they need somebody to blame and it came down to that last play and, of course, I’m the easy target."

Now, he's a target with a third NBA title. Good for the Greens, a great family.

Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Danny Green (14) holds the ball while defended by Miami Heat forward Jae Crowder (99) during the third quarter in game six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Interesting NBA nuggets

• LEBRON LEGACY: LeBron James has now won four NBA titles and has played in 10 NBA finals. After Sunday, he's now played in 260 playoff games, passing Derek Fisher for the most all-time. That's more than THREE FULL SEASONS of games.
• FIRST KENTUCKY WIN: With Anthony Davis winning a title on Sunday night, he became the first Kentucky Wildcat to play for John Calipari to win an NBA title. A lot has been made about Kentucky's one-and-done basketball philosophy. but it's Davis who's the first to finally win anything.
• LAKERS BACK ON TOP: This was the Lakers's 17th NBA title, tying them for the most all-time. It's their 11th since 1980, but their first since 2010.