Danny Green comes home to host basketball camp

Luke Noone and Greg Carrick each had an initial negative reaction to LeBron James' announcement on ESPN on July 8, called "The Decision."

The varsity basketball duo from North Babylon High School watched together as James departed the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. They thought much in the same way as the rest of America - the departure wasn't a surprise.

Then it sunk in. It hit the 17-year-old senior and 16 year-old junior that the ramifications of the move would strike closer to home -- North Babylon. With the departure of one 6-foot-8 guard/forward from the Cavaliers - albeit the NBA's MVP - playing time would open up for another 6-foot-6 guard/forward on the roster. That player is Noone and Carrick's fellow North Babylon basketball product -- Danny Green. Green is hosting his first annual "Team Green Basketball Camp" at Robert Moses Middle School in North Babylon this week.

"All of a sudden, we were like, 'Oh, Danny will probably get some more minutes now.'" Noone said.

Three weeks after James' decision, Noone, Carrick and 80 other campers finally got to grill their hometown NBA player on just what the ramifications of James' decision meant for Green, at his former school. Throughout the camp's five days, campers from all over Long Island and New York City have repeatedly asked the former McDonald's All-American from St. Mary's in Manhasset about an array of topics, including winning a national championship at North Carolina and Green's tribulations as a rookie.

But one question trumps them all.

"Everyone wants to know about LeBron," said Green, who averaged two points in 5.8 minutes per game as a rookie, and averaged 12.8 points in four appearances in the Cavaliers Summer League in Las Vegas from July 13-18. "Everybody asks me, 'Are you going to play?' They are expecting big things this year, including myself."

Green does expect to vie for more playing time now with James is in South Beach. Green said James is one of his best friends and said he spoke with James before and several weeks after his decision.

For this week, Green is back to the past -- steamy summer camp gyms, carpooling and even being kicked out of his own house by other players. Green was gladly banished to sleep in his grandmother's house this week to make room for the campers.

"It's kind of like back when I was a kid, AAU days," Green said. "There is not enough room. There are too many kids in there."