West Orange Times & Observer: Sports Spotlight — David Green

Senior David Green has been a force of nature on the Ocoee High School basketball team since he arrived his freshman year. The 6-foot-7 shooting guard is a team leader, scoring machine and one of head coach John “Sarge” Siers’ go-to players. His talents on the court also have led him to his future at Hofstra University.

When did you first get into basketball?

I’ve been around basketball my whole life — I always watched it and watched my older brother play. When I got to actually playing in an organized setting it was probably around middle school — sixth or seventh grade.

What has kept you in the sport for so long?

It was just the love that I developed for it. It became something that I could go to to clear my mind and have fun. It was the only thing that brought me a lot of joy, so I just kept playing it. I ended up wanting to take it further to the next level and that’s what drove me more — when I realized I had an opportunity to take it to another level.

Since your freshman year, what would you say is the biggest change that you’ve seen in yourself?

Biggest change would probably be my confidence — it was something that just developed over time. When I started to really get into the gym after ninth grade it just gave me more confidence to play the way that I knew I could play, and it showed on the court.

What has been your favorite thing about playing at Ocoee High?

It would probably (be) just my teammates and me being so comfortable just playing here, because I know who does what and I know how my coach is. It just gives me the opportunity to play my game the way that I know how to play it.

What would you say is the most challenging thing about playing at shooting guard? What is your favorite?

The most challenging part, I would say, is just decision making — knowing when to attack and when to defer to your teammates. The most fun part is playing the way that I know I can play. I know I’m pretty big for a shooting guard, but I know that I can shoot the ball, dribble it and handle it, so it gives me free reign on the court to play how I know I can.

Is there a highlight moment for you during your time at Ocoee?

Last year when we beat Edgewater — we knocked them out in the district tournament. They were ranked No. 1, and we were the underdogs and we knocked them out — they had beat us earlier that season pretty bad at home.

NBA legend Kobe Bryant recently died tragically. Were you a fan of his, or did you ever get a chance to watch him play?

I actually really despised Kobe a while, because he killed the Magic and I didn’t know why he was so good.  But as I got older — toward the end of his career — I started studying up on him, and I started watching and taking some of the things that he did and tried to apply it to my game.