"A watered down version of Klay Thompson" - 3x NBA champion gets honest about his 'star' ceiling in NBA

Retired NBA player Danny Green got honest about what his ceiling in the league could have been. The three-time champion was a memorable player in the 2010s, especially during his time with the San Antonio Spurs and the LA Lakers. Green appeared as a guest on Dwight Howard's "Above The Rim with DH 12," released on Thursday.

The game of basketball has evolved, with players relying heavily on shooting 3-pointers. Before everyone started to make a living beyond the arc, however, Green was making a name for himself as one of the league's best outside shooters.

In his career, Green shot 40% from long range. Because of this, he was a valued player, and several teams wanted to sign him during his playing days. However, he never became an All-Star. The former Toronto Raptors player never averaged enough points to be considered a star.

On the show, Green was asked if he ever thought he'd transition into a star. The 37-year-old was honest with his answer and said this:

"I wouldn't say a star, but I could've been a super role player. I could've been a watered down version of Klay [Thompson], if that makes sense. Klay is very good at what he does. A lot of people think, but it's not easy bring that guy, being that role."

Green said that if he played in a system where he was incorporated into plenty of pin-down screens, he could have been similar to JJ Redick.

During his time in the league, Green became one of the most valued role players. Because of his outstanding perimeter defense and outside shooting, he assisted three teams in winning championships. Green averaged 8.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in his career.

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Green shares which team could win the 2025 NBA championship

The new season has just started and many are already picking which team could with the NBA championship. During Green's appearance on Howard's podcast, he said that the Boston Celtics could win the title this season. However, he pointed out that there's one team that could pose a threat to the Celtics.

"You have [Jayson] Tatum, [Jaylen] Brown, Jrue [Holiday], Derrick White, and [Kristaps] Porzingis if they're healthy," Green said.

Green mentioned the New York Knicks as the only team that could match up well with the Celtics.

"They got Mikal [Bridges], they got OG [Anunoby], Jaylen [Brunson], they got KAT, they got Mitchell Robinson off the bench, they got Deuce [McBride], they got depth and the size and the mix. That's the only team that I see that can match up with them."

The former player talked about it at the 1:05:51 mark.

He pointed out that teams like the OKC Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Dallas Mavericks got better over the summer. But the Celtics are still his choice to win the title.

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