WIZARDS ACE FLYING HIGH
JEFF GREEN does battle with the New York Knicks at NBA London tonight knowing he has already won the biggest fight of his life.
Seven years ago this month the 6ft 9in Washington Wizards forward had open heart surgery after doctors discovered an aortic aneurysm. It was a condition so serious it left him fighting for his life. But Green recovered and is now playing some of the best basketball of his career.
The 32-year-old said: “I could have died. It was that serious. I’d be lying if I said those kind of thoughts hadn’t crept into my head. “But I came back and I’m so grateful to be here now. I was sidelined for a year. But I’ve had some good years since. I’ve been blessed. “People counted me out and said I would never be able to play at this level again. My family helped me through. I proved all the haters and doubters wrong. I don’t take it for granted.”
Green is averaging 11 points and four rebounds in 27 minutes for the Wizards, who come to London with a slightly better record than the struggling Knicks.
Blast
He said: “It’s my first time playing in London. I know Justin Timberlake performed at the O2 and had a blast.
“If I run into Justin, we’ll compare notes. I’m sure I’ll have a way better experience.”
Wizards team-mate Tomas Satoransky is returning to the scene of his greatest basketball humiliation.
The Czech Republic star said: “I played a Eurobasket qualifier there against GB in 2008 and it’s my most embarrassing memory. Thank God it’s not on Youtube.
“I was 16 and I went on the court with my jersey on back to front.
“It was my first time for the national team – in front of 12,000 people. The worst thing is my team-mates knew and didn’t tell me.
“The fans were all singing my name because it was on the front of my jersey. Since then, every time I go on court, I check my jersey is on right.”
Knicks centre Enes Kanter, who has not made the trip, has repeated his claim that he could be kidnapped or killed in London.
Two years ago, Turkey cancelled his passport and issued an arrest warrant for him over his support for a cleric accused of helping to mount a failed coup against President Tayyip Erdogan in 2016.
Kanter said on Tuesday: “I do not have a US passport so I can’t risk travelling. Even if I did, I wouldn’t travel to Britain. I could easily be kidnapped or killed by Turkish agents.”
NORWEGIAN are the presenting partner of the NBA London Game, offering daily flights to New York from London with a premium and economy cabin.