Last Updated on August 12, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Rickey Green was a quick, crafty point guard who excelled at pushing the pace and creating opportunities for both himself and his teammates. His speed with the ball and ability to pressure defenses helped make him an important piece of several competitive teams throughout his career.

Player Profile

Personal Information:

  • Full Name: Rickey Green
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: August 18, 1954
  • Age: 70 years old
  • Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
  • Height: 6 feet 0 inches (183 cm)
  • Weight: 170 pounds (77 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 1 inch
  • Shoe Size: Size 11 (US)

Basketball Career:

  • Position: Point Guard
  • Jersey Numbers: 25, 24, 14, 11, 12, 9, 13
  • High School: Hirsch Metropolitan High School, Chicago, Illinois
  • College:
    • Vincennes University (1973–1975)
    • University of Michigan (1975–1977)
      • Led Michigan to the 1976 NCAA Championship game and the 1977 Big Ten Championship.
      • Consensus First-Team All-American in 1977.
  • NBA Draft: Selected by the Golden State Warriors in the 1st round (16th overall) of the 1977 NBA Draft.
  • Professional Teams:
    • Golden State Warriors (1977–1978)
    • Detroit Pistons (1978)
    • Utah Jazz (1980–1988)
    • Charlotte Hornets (1988–1989)
    • Milwaukee Bucks (1989)
    • Indiana Pacers (1989–1990)
    • Philadelphia 76ers (1990–1991)
    • Boston Celtics (1991–1992)
  • Career Highlights:
    • NBA All-Star (1984)
    • NBA Steals Leader (1984)
    • Scored the 5 millionth point in NBA history in 1988.
  • Championship Rings: None

Personal Life:

  • Children: Information not publicly available
  • Siblings: Information not publicly available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Rickey Green was a classic quick-twitch floor general, the kind of point guard whose archetype was built around pace, ball pressure, and table-setting rather than size or scoring volume. Defensively, he worked at the point of attack, using speed, anticipation, and active hands to bother opposing guards, disrupt passing lanes, and create turnovers, which fit with his reputation as one of the better steal producers of his era. Offensively, his role was to run the team, push tempo, get teammates organized, and create chances off the dribble, while still being able to chip in points when openings appeared. Physically, Green was listed at 6-foot-0 and 170 pounds, so his game leaned on burst, agility, and change of pace more than strength. In simple terms, he played like an old-school lead guard who could speed a game up, pressure the ball, and keep an offense moving with quick decisions and constant motion. (Basketball Reference)

Scouting Report

Rickey Green played with the kind of pace that constantly put defenders in uncomfortable decisions. He wasn’t simply fast in the open floor; he accelerated out of hesitation dribbles, turned the corner before the screen was fully set, and forced help defenders to abandon their assignments earlier than they wanted. That’s where his game became dangerous. Once he got two feet into the paint, he had a knack for drawing the low man just enough to slip bounce passes to rolling bigs or fire quick kickouts before the defense could recover. He preferred creating off penetration rather than orchestrating possessions from a standstill, so his best stretches came when the game had rhythm and the defense was scrambling. The trade-off was that opponents willing to sag under pick-and-rolls or load the lane could tempt him into perimeter jumpers, making half-court possessions less efficient when driving lanes disappeared. Defensively, Green applied pressure well above the three-point line, using quick hands and lateral speed to bother opposing guards before actions developed, and he was particularly effective jumping passing lanes when he sensed a lazy reversal. At the same time, his size created challenges against bigger guards who could simply shoot over him or create contact on the way to the rim, making strong backline support an important part of maximizing his defensive impact. I’ve always thought his ideal setting was an up-tempo offense with athletic finishers running the floor and mobile screeners who could dive quickly into open space, because he consistently rewarded teammates who sprinted into passing windows instead of waiting for the ball. To me, his game shared elements of T.J. Ford’s ability to collapse defenses with pure speed and Damon Stoudamire’s relentless dribble pressure, although Green leaned even more heavily on changing the pace of a possession before the defense had time to organize itself. — Mat Diekhake, HeatingUp

Sources:

Rickey Green Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and More — Basketball-Reference
Utah Jazz single-season steals per game leaders — NBA.com
Season Review: 1983-84 — NBA.com