Josh Green (basketball)
Josh Green (born 16 November 2000) is an Australian college basketball player for the Arizona Wildcats of the Pac-12 Conference.
Green in February 2020 | |
No. 0 – Arizona Wildcats | |
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Position | Shooting guard |
League | Pac-12 Conference |
Personal information | |
Born | Sydney, New South Wales | 16 November 2000
Nationality | Australian |
Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
Career information | |
High school |
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College | Arizona (2019–2020) |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Early life
Green was born in Sydney to Australian mother Cahla and American-born father Delmas. His parents met while both were playing semi-professional basketball in Australia.[1] The couple decided to raise a family in the north-west Sydney suburb of Castle Hill where Josh began playing basketball at the age of five when his mother started coaching him. Along with playing local basketball for the Hills Hornets as a child, Green tried an array of sports as a junior and excelled in Australian rules football, athletics, basketball, rugby, soccer and swimming. By the age of 10, he had been selected to represent his home state of New South Wales in nine separate sports.[2] In fifth grade, Green traveled more than 12 hours by car to the outback town of Broken Hill in an attempt to gain selection for the under-12 state basketball team and was told he was good enough to be on the team but would have to wait a year or two so the older boys could play. 12 months later, he captained the under-12 NSW Metro state team to a national title.[2] Green switched to play club basketball for Penrith in 2013 and the decision paid off when he was selection to represent the under-14 and under-16 New South Wales state teams in successive years as a bottom-ager.[3]
Green was also a prodigious Australian rules footballer in his younger years[4][5][6] while playing locally for the Westbrook Bulldogs and would regularly attend Sydney Swans home games with his father. Green claims to have "loved" playing Australian football[7][8][9] and has "always been a big Swans fan", naming Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin as his favourite players growing up.[10] Such was his talent in Australian football, the Swans and fellow professional franchise Greater Western Sydney Giants offered him a place in their junior developmental academies.[7] At the age of 13, Green accepted an offer to join the Giants' academy.[11][12] However, in November 2014 the family relocated to Phoenix, Arizona[13] for the father's work commitments and Green was subsequently forced to quit Australian football.[14]
High school career
While in Australia, Green attended The King's School in Sydney and dominated the local basketball scene so much that he was selected to represent the New South Wales' under 16 state team at the age of 13.[15][16] Later that year, the Green family relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, and in 2015, Josh enrolled at Mountain Ridge High School, where he impressed.[17] In 2017, he transferred to the IMG Academy in Florida[18] and became a five-star draft prospect.[19] In the final game of his high school career, Green led IMG to a national championship victory with a 65–55 win over La Lumiere and was subsequently named MVP of the championship game.[20]
Recruiting
Green received an offer to join the Villanova Wildcats in April 2018.[21] In July 2018, he received an offer to join the North Carolina Tar Heels.[22]
Green was considered a top player in the 2019 recruiting class by Scout.com, Rivals.com and ESPN. On October 4, 2018, Green committed to play for the Arizona Wildcats over Kansas, North Carolina, Villanova, USC and UNLV. Green is a consensus five-star prospect out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
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Josh Green SG |
Sydney, New South Wales | IMG Academy (FL) | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 206 lb (93 kg) | Oct 4, 2018 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: | ||||||
Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 13 247Sports: 17 ESPN: 8 | ||||||
Sources:
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College career
In October 2018, Green signed his NLI to the University of Arizona for basketball.[23] He was selected for the 2019 McDonald's All American Game, along with fellow UA recruit Nico Mannion.[24] In his second collegiate game, Green scored 20 points as Arizona beat Illinois 90–69.[25] Green missed a game against UCLA on February 29 due to a lower back sprain.[26] Green averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the Wildcats as a freshman while shooting 36% from three-point range. Following the season, he declared for the 2020 NBA draft.[27]
National team career
Green was named in the 24-man squad selected to represent the Australian national team in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers against Qatar and Kazakhstan in September 2018.[28] However, a torn labrum in his right shoulder prevented him from making his international debut. In January 2019, Green revealed his ambitions to represent Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[1] On February 6, 2019, Green was named in the 23-man squad selected to represent Australia's Under-19 national team at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.[29] In March 2019, Green signalled his aspiration to represent Australia at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.[30]
Career statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Personal life
Josh is the son of Cahla and Delmas Green. He has three siblings: Jay, Ky, and Maya. His father played at Oregon Tech, while both of his parents played professionally in Australia. Josh’s brother Jay currently plays at Lumberjacks.
References
- "Josh Green is an Australian first, basketball player second". ESPN. 21 January 2019.
- "Preps star Josh Green ready to commit". Bleacher Report. 5 October 2018.
- "Josh Green on verge of NBA dream becoming reality". The Western Weekender. 16 April 2020.
- "Ben Simmons has already taken high school basketball star Josh Green under his wing". News.com.au. 31 January 2019.
- "Arizona Wildcats' Josh Green - Australia's Next Basketball Star". Trans World Sport. 26 February 2018.
- "Josh Green Nike Hoop Summit Interview". Draft Express. 18 April 2018.
- "A weekend with Josh Green, Australia's next sporting superstar". Fox Sports Australia. 8 March 2019.
- "Josh Green pumped to represent Australia on the hardwood in Hoop Summit game". Arizona Daily Star. 11 April 2019.
- "Josh Green: Australia's latest basketball star headed for Arizona". ESPN Australia. 24 May 2019.
- "Rising Australian basketball star and 'freak athlete' Josh Green on track for bright NBA future". Wide World of Sports. 8 February 2019.
- "Josh Green becomes first Australian since Ben Simmons to be McDonald's All-American". Daily Telegraph. 25 January 2019.(Subscription required.)
- Preps star Josh Green is ready to commit
- "Green brothers lift Mountain Ridge with title hopes". AZ Central. 28 December 2015.
- "5 Star Arizona Commit Josh Green Q+A". BallerVisions. 23 December 2018.
- "Four youngsters from Penrith Basketball selected into NSW under-16 State teams". Daily Telegraph. 29 May 2014.
- "Meet Josh Green, the Australian taking over the American high school basketball scene". Fox Sports Australia. 29 September 2017.
- Green brothers lift Mountain Ridge with title hopes
- Meet Josh Green, the Australian taking over the American high school basketball scene
- "Josh Green has been rated a five-star recruit, as US colleges continue to fight for him". Courier Mail. 11 January 2018.
- "Australia's Josh Green leads IMG Academy to GEICO Nationals Championship". Fox Sports Australia. 7 April 2019.
- "Villanova offers 2019 guard Josh Green". VU Hoops. 23 April 2018.
- "Tar Heels Offer Scholarship to Josh Green". 247 Sports - North Carolina. 31 July 2018.
- "Josh Green joins Nico Mannion in committing to Arizona Wildcats basketball". AZ Central. 4 October 2018.
- "Arizona Wildcats signees Nico Mannion, Josh Green named to McDonald's All-American Game". Arizona Daily Star. 24 January 2019.
- "No. 21 Arizona routs Illinois 90-69 behind freshman trio". ESPN. Associated Press. 10 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- Pascoe, Bruce (1 March 2020). "On Sean Miller's 'conversations' with officials at UCLA, Josh Green's absence and silver linings". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- Givony, Jonathan (10 April 2020). "Josh Green entering draft after freshman year at Arizona". ESPN. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- "Josh Green talks Aussie Boomers squad nod, looking up to Ben Simmons and Dante Exum, and getting an offer from North Carolina". Fox Sports Australia. 3 August 2018.
- "Potential NBA draftee Josh Green named in Emus squad". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 February 2019.
- "Exclusive: Josh Green wants to make his Australian Boomers debut in the 2019 FIBA World Cup". Fox Sports Australia. 9 March 2019.