In a trip down memory lane, three-time NBA champion A.C. Green shared his perspective on the unforgettable incident that unfolded during a 1996 game against the Knicks, where J.R. Reid intentionally delivered a fierce elbow blow to Green’s face. This incident, etched in basketball history, left Green with lasting memories of resilience and sportsmanship.
Recalling the moment during an exclusive interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson on Scoop B Selects, Green discussed the harrowing event that saw him don a protective mask and fight through pain to continue his streak on the court. “J.R. tried to, and I’m sure, but it’s never got to me,” Green said. “That happens in basketball. You run into people, you run over people – that’s just the nature of the course.”
Despite losing two teeth and enduring a head injury, Green’s unwavering determination and deep-rooted faith guided him through the ordeal. “My mindset was that this happens in basketball. You play big and physical in the paint in this sport, so you know you’re going to have contact with someone,” Green explained. “Good thing that your faith and my faith especially at that particular time was one that was Yes.”
Green’s forgiving spirit and ability to let go of grudges shone brightly in the aftermath of the incident. “You were ingrained to forgive and you were ingrained to keep it moving and not hold grudges,” he emphasized. “Thank God that I was trained that way because I didn’t know that I was going to have a chance to put it to use that particular day like that, but thank God I did!”
