Following Wednesday's practice, Sacramento Kings guard/forward Donté Greene took time out of his schedule to talk about the task of defending the game’s biggest stars, his incredible shoe collection, and rookie pranks. The second-year pro out of Syracuse is averaging 8.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while starting 25 of the team's last 33 games. An exceptional two-way player, he scored a career high 24 points twice this season while recording countless highlight-reel dunks and blocked shots. Be sure to catch Donté and the Kings in action when they take on the Utah Jazz tonight at 6 p.m. PST.
Who were your idols growing up and which current or former players did you pattern your game after?
When I first started playing, T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) and Vince Carter were definitely my favorite players. As I started to get older and learned the strengths of my game, Rashard Lewis was one guy who I looked up to.
Can you take me through a typical gameday? Do you have any pre-game routines?
Usually we have shootaround at about 10:30, so I get up around 9 or 9:30 and go get something to eat. I head to the gym to get a few shots in before shootaround and go watch film. Then I go home, take a nap for about an hour or an hour and a half — I make sure I eat before I nap and eat when I get up. I usually get one of my Subway sandwiches: tuna with bacon on every game day.
I get to the gym around 4:15, get my shots up and then sit down and get ready for the game. I go to chapel before the game and get focused. I listen to whatever I’m feeling that day – it might be gospel, maybe R&B, maybe rap.
What have been the biggest adjustments in going from college to the pros and then from your first into your second season?
How much you have to work, because I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at in the NBA, and you have to work ten times harder. You have to learn how to be a pro, come down, and be ready to learn every day. Just being more mature is the difference, I’d say — you have to grow up when you come to the NBA. I just had a touch of it last year, but I got the hang of it this year and it’s been going well for me.
.jpg?t=20120209092158)
Article comments