"It paid off" - Jeff Green reflects on his painful and long NBA journey which led to him winning his first NBA title

It's been a long journey for Jeff Green, but his moment finally arrived and he can proudly say that he's an NBA champion after 16 seasons in the league. The veteran forward was able to share his feeling of becoming a winner after helping the Denver Nuggets capture their first title in franchise history.

The Nuggets took care of business as they beat the Miami Heat in five games in the 2023 NBA Finals. Green, who has adapted to all kinds of roles in his career, was a huge part of why the team had a historic postseason run.

Following the conclusion of the finals, the veteran player credited his journey for winning his first ring:

"This is what you live for, this is all the sacrifice, all the blood, sweat and tears. The countless hours. For me, going through the [heart] surgery, 11 teams, adapted to every environment, this is what it's all for. All that sacrifice, it paid off."

"You indulge yourself in every team, the everyday grind, you're appreciated, you stay positive in it. You just stay with it, man. You never know when your name is gonna get called, but when it's called, you gotta be ready."

"For me, it was about just staying in the gym, being ready, being there for my teammates. All for this moment."

Green has bounced around the league over his career and left an impact on each team he represented. During the 2011-12 season, he underwent a successful open heart surgery that caused him to miss the entire season.

Many thought he wasn't going to be able to make a strong comeback, but he overcame the odds and still continued to be a vital piece for his teams.

Green's first Finals appearance was back in 2018 when he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers and was swept by the Golden State Warriors.

You might also be interested in reading this: What did Nikola Jokic say about Jeff Green's Miami house and his impact on the team?

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Countless GMs counted Jeff Green out after his heart surgery

Having to deal with any kind of surgery isn't easy. Most of the time, the procedure can affect the performance of the player and weaken his performance. In Jeff Green's case, the open heart surgery he had in the 2011-12 season gave him a major setback in his career.

Green detailed that many executives counted him out after his surgery and even considered him to be out of the league after five years. However, the opposite happened and he transformed himself into a valuable role player in the league.

"A lot of GMs, a lot of teams told me I wouldn't even make it past five years... I'm glad they told me that," Green said.

Green never lost hope and accepted any role the team needed him to do and it all culminated in him winning an NBA championship in Denver.