A.C. Green

The NBA's Iron Man with 1,192 consecutive games played.

A.C. Green Jr. (born October 4, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Iron Man", he holds a National Basketball Association (NBA) record for most consecutive regular-season games played with 1,192. Green played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. He found most success with the Lakers, with whom he won three championships in 1987, 1988 and 2000, and was named an NBA All-Star in 1990. Green was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, attending Benson Polytechnic High School and Oregon State University. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Quick Facts

Born: 4 October 1963
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon, U.S.
High school: Benson Polytechnic (Portland, Oregon)
College: Oregon State (1981–1985)
Draft round: 1
Draft pick: 23
Drafted by: Los Angeles Lakers
Career position: Power forward; small forward

Lore & Background

Green is a devout Christian. He is known for proclaiming that he began and ended his NBA career as a virgin bachelor. He was also known to abstain from smoking or drinking alcohol, even refusing to spray champagne for the cameras after winning championships. During his rookie year, his teammates sent a woman to tempt him to compromise his commitment. In 1989, he established the A.C. Green Youth Foundation, which operates youth camps to promote abstinence until marriage. In 2000, he wore a green teddy bear on his head while on the bench during basketball games to promote his foundation.

Reader's Guide

Green's 1,192 consecutive games played streak began on November 19, 1986, when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio. The streak ended with the last game of his career on April 18, 2001, when the Miami Heat defeated the Orlando Magic in Orlando. In addition to this streak, he also managed to miss only eight games throughout his entire playing career (all five games of the Western Conference Finals during the 1986 NBA playoffs and three games at the start of his second season).