AJ Green grateful for extension, bigger opportunity with Bucks

DALLAS — AJ Green isn’t big on labels, but the former Northern Iowa star feels blessed after signing a four-year, $45 million contract extension in October with Milwaukee.

“I’m so grateful and thankful for the Bucks. They took a chance on me four years ago, undrafted, two-way, gave me opportunities to play, so I’m super thankful for them and just the people,” Green, 26, said after a big road win in Dallas Monday. “I’m not here without the people going all the way back to my parents and coaches in AAU, high school, college.

“People make you who you are, believe in you, and give you an opportunity to have success. Grateful for them, grateful for the Lord. It’s all by his grace that I’m here. Just trying to glorify him.”

After helping lead Cedar Falls High School to a state title, Green ventured over to UNI, where his father was an assistant coach. Green was named freshman of the year in the Valley, earned league player of the year honors as a sophomore and then finished his career with a second MVC top player award after being limited to three games as a junior due to injury.

Green didn’t hear his name called in the 2022 NBA Draft, but Milwaukee gave him a shot with its summer league team, and he quickly made a strong impression, earning a two-way contract, an arrangement where he divided his time between the G-League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, and the NBA.

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As a rookie, he averaged 20.3 points, five rebounds and 2.8 assists in eight G-League games and appeared in 35 NBA games, including one start, with the Bucks. Green performed so well Milwaukee turned his two-way deal into a standard contract in June 2023 (three years, $6.3 million).

Last season, he played a career-high 73 games with seven starts and has used that as a nice springboard to cement himself in the Bucks’ starting five so far this season, starting all 11 games and averaging 10.9 points.

His current backcourt mate is Ryan Rollins, a kindred spirit drafted in the second round by Atlanta in 2022 who saw his rights then traded to Golden State. He started his pro career with the Warriors’ G-League affiliate before a foot injury sidelined him. Rollins was then traded to Washington, which released him. However, since Milwaukee gave him a shot, he too has made the most of his opportunity and is now a Bucks starter.

“We fought to keep them (Green and Rollins) this summer. We believed in them, that they were both going to take another step,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said of his talented backcourt tandem. “Both high-character hard workers, can really shoot the ball.”

Green echoes exactly what his veteran head coach said in praising Rollins.

“Ryan’s another mid-major guy (Toledo) coming up through the G-League, through two-ways, getting the opportunity, put the work in, I’ve seen it. When the time comes, he’s been himself and made the most out of the opportunity,” Green said. “He’s a guy I love playing with. I love him off the court as a person and it’s fun. It’s a joy to play with guys who are about the right things, that do things the right way and continue to build their career.”

Being a product of a mid-major school like UNI is a badge of honor for this tenacious Iowa native.

“I’m not here without my four years at UNI. Because of Coach Jake (Ben Jacobson), the belief to play me as a freshman, to play through mistakes and guys like Seth Tuttle, another assistant coach there who put so many hours in the gym with me to where they’re just with you every step of the way,” Green said. “When your head is down, they pick you up, they keep you going. I wouldn’t have wanted to go anywhere else than UNI. That’s home and I love the people there.”

Green and the Bucks have been a perfect fit on several fronts. For one, his simple mentality about the game aligns perfectly with the culture the Milwaukee organization has created under Rivers and superstar big man Giannis Antetokounmpo, the “Greek Freak” and a former league MVP considered one of the NBA’s and world’s top players.

“It’s wanting to win, wanting to play the game the right way and playing for your teammates and play hard, leave it on the court and compete. I believe you do those things you get rewarded for it,” Green said. “Doc (Rivers) just wants to win and he wants everybody on the team to be who they are in that role to the best of their ability. He believes in you. He’s going to give you that opportunity and encourage you, instruct you and coach you. I respect and appreciate that about him and love playing for him.”

In Dallas, Green had 13 points and five rebounds as the Bucks came away with a big 116-114 win, a victory after which Antekounmpo could be heard singing loudly in the visiting locker room as teammates were conversing with reporters. For Green, seeing the joy on his superstar teammate’s face sums up exactly what the “Greek Freak” is all about as a player and an individual.

“You can see it, he’s over here singing, having a good time, and vibing. At the end of the day, he’s a kid at heart, and he has a joy and a humility about him,” Green said. “Basketball aside, he’s just a great teammate to play with, a good guy to be around with his smiling. He brings a light into a room and obviously, on the court we all know his tenacity, his consistency, his relentless attack mode that he has.

“He’s another guy like Ryan (Rollins), you love having him on your team and playing with him, working with him, winning with him, losing with him, being on the journey. You want guys like that to do it with.”

Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer from Frisco, Texas