A few years ago, Cedar Falls native AJ Green was averaging 18 points a game for the UNI basketball team. Now he’s solidified himself as a role player in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging seven and a half minutes and three points per game.
Green hit the ground running in his freshman season with the Panthers in 2018, averaging nearly 15 points per game and was named MVC Freshman of the year. He followed that up with a stellar sophomore season in 2019, averaging 19.7 points per game and leading the Panthers to a 25-6 record along with a MVC regular season title. Green’s junior season was cut short due to a hip injury as he only played in three games. He bounced back his senior year averaging nearly 19 points a game and was named MVC Player of the Year.
In April of 2022, Green decided to test the draft waters while maintaining his eligibility. On June 1st, he officially declared for the NBA Draft.
Green went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft but ended up signing a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks which allows a player to split time between an NBA team and a minor league team.
To start the 2022 season, Green was inactive for 12 out of the first 13 games. In the 14th game of the season, Green played 15 minutes versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, making a 3-point basket and finishing with one steal. Green started to hit his stride in games 22 and 23 of the season. He finished with eight points versus the Charlotte Hornets followed by a career-high 12-point performance against the Orlando Magic. In games 35 through 39 of the regular season, Green totaled 35 points and four assists through that stretch after being inactive the previous five games. A couple games later versus the Miami Heat, Green tallied a new career high finishing with 15 points on the night. He matched that total 16 games later with a 15-point performance versus the Chicago Bulls. The rest of the season Green spent time being both active and inactive, but when on the court he proved to be a solid contributor off the bench for the Bucks, averaging 4.4 points per game.
Green earned himself a roster spot on the Bucks to start the 2023 season. After not playing in the first game, Green scored seven points off the bench in the second game of the season versus the Atlanta Hawks. After a stretch of being inactive, in games 11 through 14 of the regular season, Green put up 16 points which included an eight-point performance against the Dallas Mavericks. Seven games later, Green came off the bench against the New York Knicks and hit three 3-point baskets in a Bucks victory. A few games later against the Chicago Bulls, Green finished with a season-high 12 points with four 3-point baskets.
After a stretch of limited playing time, Green picked up right where he left off in game 37 of the season with an eight-point performance versus the Utah Jazz. Three days later against the Celtics, Green put up nine points off the bench and helped the Bucks win 135-102.
Green has continued to be effective off the bench, as he finished with five points including a 3-point basket to help beat the Mavericks this past Saturday.
The Bucks are currently second in the Eastern Conference with a 33-16 record as they try to win their second NBA title in three years.
AJ Green is currently the only Northern Iowa alumni that is on an NBA roster. While he isn’t the star player on the Bucks, he’s established himself as a solid role player. His sharpshooting ability from behind the 3-point line and his stellar defense are crucial components in helping the team win. He’s 24 years old and is only getting better as time goes on. If he keeps his good play up we could see him in the NBA for a number of years down the road. Regardless, he’s making the city of Cedar Falls and the University of Northern Iowa proud every game he plays in.
