Rowan Kavner
LOS ANGELES – A familiar sight greeted the Clippers as they took the court in Detroit.
Former Clippers Willie Green and Grant Hill shared handshakes and hugs with their old teammates at half court prior to tip-off Monday night, watching the game as spectators before joining their former teammates in the locker room postgame.
“I keep in touch with pretty much all those guys,” Green said. “The bond we created as teammates has just translated over into family. Even when I don’t get to talk to the guys as much, when I see them or when we see each other, we’re all excited. We’re laughing, we’re joking. That’s going to last for a lifetime.”
Green was a fan favorite, as well as a favorite of the players, during his two years with the Clippers. Green played in Los Angeles from 2012-14 before spending last season in Orlando.
It’s that latter city where Green is neighbors with Detroit all-time great Grant Hill, who played his final NBA season as a teammate of Green’s with the Clippers during the 2012-13 season.
Work took Hill, who’s now an NBA TV analyst, to Detroit, so he thought he’d catch the game. It marked the first time Hill got the chance to return to a Pistons game as a spectator, and he thought it would make sense to invite Green, a Detroit native.
“We’ve got connections to Detroit,” Hill said. “Willie has a home up here, so I just said, ‘Hey, come up for the game.’ It worked out. Two teams I played for, Detroit – and, obviously Willie being from Detroit – and playing for the Clippers, it all worked out.”
The admiration for Hill was evident, as he received a standing ovation from the Detroit crowd when shown on the video board during the game. Hill averaged at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists per game in each of his final five seasons in Detroit.
“It’s pretty cool to come back and get that reception,” Hill said.
Hill said he still keeps in touch with Jamal Crawford, who was also on Green’s extensive list of guys he keeps up with on the Clippers. That list also includes Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
“Those guys were all there when I was there, so having an opportunity to just play with those guys and get to know them as people, get to know their families, it’s a bond that you’re going to cherish,” Green said. “We love each other for life, really. It’s just that simple.”
Though Green hasn’t played this year, he said he’s still staying in shape. He’s giving it this year to see if he can get another opportunity to play a 13th NBA season.
“If not, I’m just going to transition into something,” Green said.
That something could be coaching, which head coach Doc Rivers said last year is more of a question of “if” than “when.”
“I think coaching would be fun, having an opportunity to have an impact on guys in the locker room and on the floor and in their lives as well,” Green said. “But we’ll see what happens. I still want to play.”
