AC Green's remarkable NBA longevity allowed him to secure championship rings in two distinct eras of LA Lakers' dominance. He first succeeded alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, playing an effective role off the bench. He then was part of another championship-winning Purple and Gold, alongside a young Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal .
Though in his penultimate season, the 6'9" forward barely averaged 5 points as a starter, his most significant contribution came as being part of the 'veteran group' when animosity between the marquee stars reached its peak.
AC Green came back to the Lakers to be the most experienced veteran
Green's journey in the NBA saw him spend the first eight seasons of his 16-year career with the Lakers, during which he attained his lone All-Star nod. He then spent brief tenures with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks before returning to the Purple and Gold at the age of 36 as a seasoned veteran.
Upon his arrival, he observed a stark division within the team's locker room, with players aligning with either Shaq or Kobe. The animosity between them had reached such a point that both wouldn't even engage in direct interaction. In response to this untenable situation, a cohort of veteran players, including John Salley, Ron Harper, and Gree himself - all of whom were in their mid-30s and with prior championship experience - took it upon themselves to address the discord between O'Neal and Bryant.
During his appearance on Byron Scott's podcast, the one-time All-Star vividly described the bizarre scenes that took place in the team's locker room when this 'veteran group' attempted to reconcile the fractured relationship of the two marquee stars.
"I remember in our team locker room, Phil was having a meeting, a film session, and we've got our two superstars not seeing eye to eye," Green said. "Next thing you know, we're like, 'Coaches, can you all leave the room for a minute?' Let's just say some choice words were exchanged. Some voices got high. Some furniture got moved. The point got across and the mission got on... and this is how you actually start to look out after one another."
The 'veteran group' helped Shaq and Kobe establish their dynasty
Although neither Salley, Green, nor Harper made significant contributions or averaged double-digit points during the '99-00 campaign, the Zen Master's team improved their defensive rating from the 7th worst in the '98-99 season to the best in the '99-00 season.
This clearly demonstrated that while the Lakers were always rich in talent, the 'veteran group' managed to harmonize the different personalities within the organization. It's safe to say that incorporating players like Green into the mix proved beneficial, and clearly, all three veterans mentioned, along with Gren Rice, for that particular campaign proved instrumental for Coach Jackson, Shaq, Kobe, and the Lakers' overall legacy.
Related: Shaquille O'Neal recalls how he would test Kobe Bryant early on: "MF, you ain't s*t!"
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