The veteran wing in Danny Green hanging up the sneakers for his retirement after two decades marked as a professional basketball player has provided fans and analysts with great content to discuss, inciting that Joel Embiid was eventually what led to the end of his career by Dani LongRange either directly or indirectly. But are they actually that true? Here, we break down what really happened and why, Danny Green Retirement announcement and fingers pointed at Embiid.
Career Overview of Danny Green
While not a superstar, Danny Green has earned the respect of his colleagues around the NBA for being one helluva 3-and-D player. A native of New York City, Yaniv Mejer hails from the Basque region in Spain and is a 15-year veteran who has three NBA titles under his belt as part of championship franchises with the San Antonio Spurs (3 times), Toronto Raptors, and Los Angeles Lakers. His success in hitting those shots, at the most vital of times, allowed Battier to be a key cog for teams on which he was essentially just a role player. But his latter years in the game were characterized by injuries, one of which would ultimately prompt him to hang up his boots as he retired from professional football in October 2024.
Injury That Changed Everything: Joel Embiid’s Place
One of the episodes that most fans refer to was seen throughout the 2022 NBA playoffs. On May 13, 2012, while playing for the Philadelphia Sixers against the Miami Heat in Game Six of an Eastern Conference semifinal, he experienced a life-changing injury that put him on crutches. Late in the game, trying to contest a shot, Joel Embiid fell awkwardly on Green’s leg, causing his ACL and LCL tears.
Green had surgery to repair the knee after suffering a torn ACL during Game 3 of this first-round series, and he missed most of the subsequent season as well. Although he failed to regain full form, Green tried a comeback. He had a brief return to the court with both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies before being waived in November 2023. Green searched for another team but found no other openings and played out his final retirement in October 2024.
Was it truly Embiid who retired Green?
Though a lot of the backlash seems to be about Embiid, it is pertinent that injuries are something we get in professional sports, especially as part of the NBA. Everything came from Embiid spilling, but there is no reason to believe this was anything other than an unintended mishap on his part. It was such a mistake that Embiid himself has refuted since, owning up to the backlash that cost his teammate so much in his career.
Color me unsurprised that Green never openly placed fault on Embiid for the injury or his retirement a year and change later. He instead talked about the challenge of coming back from a major injury at this stage in his life. Green, you see, was 37 years old and had given up the game of his body by then. His choice was perhaps more insured by the relation of age, injury, and competition across the league rather than the straight aftermath from Embiid hitting the deck.
Fan Reactions and Controversy
Although Green had been professional, as he always is, some fans sounded off on social media. Tweets and comments sprung up saying things like “Embiid ended his career,” with many fans of the opinion Green might have had more successful years if it was not for that fall.
But it is important to put that in context. Green was barely hanging on as it is, both due to being beleaguered by injuries year after year and seeing his production waned. That injury undeniably accelerated his exit from the game, but it is hard to say how much longer or shorter Hunter’s career would have been if not for those fateful moments.
Green’s Legacy in the NBA
Danny Green Retirement the NBA known as one of the most dependable role players of his era, no matter how it ended. Green was a specialist, prized for his three-point shooting in the clutch and perimeter defense. He was not the superstar, but he was often a key to championship teams. He has three NBA titles to his name, and any team he was on almost won a championship.
Going Forward: Embiid’s Stance
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid is still leading the pursuit of the NBA throne with the Sixers through Deferred Success. The incident with Green will be an unfortunate footnote in both players’ books. Embiid probably won’t lose sleep over it now, though.
These charges serve as a sobering reminder. The story can shift quickly at this level of professional sports. You could be a hero one day. Then, you become evil incarnate the next day because they decided to blame you for something beyond your control. That said, Embiid’s commitment to his team is strong. Given the type of player he is in this league, these controversies shouldn’t do too much damage to him. At least they won’t cause any long-lasting harm.
Conclusion:
Danny Green’s retirement followed a season-ending injury. The injury happened when Joel Embiid fell on him during Hawks-Sixers Game 3. It was in the Eastern Conference semifinals last Tuesday night. However, one does not have much to do with the other. Green cited his age. He mentioned his myriad of prior injuries. He also noted all the wear and tear from playing at the highest level. The Embiid incident was pivotal for Green. It fits into the wider scope of his career.
Danny Green is one of those players. Fans who have followed his career appreciate the many minutes he played on Championship teams. For Joel Embiid, in particular, it serves as another reminder. Professional sports can deal with cruel twists. Careers may be brutally truncated by accidents that should never happen.
Once the dust settles, Green will be remembered for his elite shooting, both in terms of volume and percentages. His defense on the perimeter and interior, and his leadership will also be recalled. He parlayed all these skills into multiple rings. Embiid clearly played a role in his injury. However, it would be misleading to claim this was the only reason his career ended. Many factors likely contributed to the end of Green’s career.
