If everything had gone well, Eric Green would not have signed with Hapoel Holon at all and returned to play in the Chinese league, where he spent two successful terms in the past, posted impressive averages and held huge contracts.
However, the injury of C.
J. Harris in the Winner Cup forced the Hapoel Holon people to return to the player market and react quickly.
Several names were proposed to the club, but the champion was looking for a player with significant experience in Europe, and in addition one who would also agree to sign a temporary contract for three months.
When the possibility arose of signing Eric Green to the team - they acted quickly and landed him in Israel.
The Purples, who have already demonstrated in the past the ability to react quickly and accurately to situations during the season, then encountered a problematic situation, a few days before the opening of the European season in the group stage of the FIBA Champions League, in which every game is critical due to the method of the games.
The heads of the club and the professional team gathered to discuss the possibilities for strengthening and at this There were a number of favorite names, among others Olivia Hanlen who did not work out in China and later left, Eric Green who was a free agent and Jaylen Adams who left his mark in Jerusalem and sat at home was also considered for a moment. Rumors about Tyrus McGee's precarious situation in China also made their way to Israel in those days Not yet released from China.
Jaylen Adams.
He was also on the agenda, photo: Roi Kafir
Green, who was sitting at home and was a free agent with a rich past in the best leagues in the world, met the criteria, but waited for an offer from China and was not in a hurry to return an answer, but the leaders of the champion pressed and managed to convince the veteran guard to land in the Holy Land, on a temporary contract and for significantly lower amounts than those he did in the past.
"Honestly, I sat at home and waited for an offer from China to return there for another season, but in China it is difficult to know how things are going, and until you are there nothing is final. At some point I received the call from Holon, I tried to take my time because I enjoyed being at home with my family but I saw some They are serious and I received warm recommendations from the team's players, including Harris, I decided to stop waiting and return to Europe," Green honestly shared in an exclusive interview he gave to Israel Hayom.
If there was anyone who feared that the veteran guard, who had not played basketball for almost six months, would take time to acclimatize and return to playing form, he was quickly mistaken, when the American scored 19 points in his first game in the purple uniform in the team's victory against Legia Warsaw in Poland, when Green was then only two days with the team in total and played for 29 minutes.
Green's character off the court allowed the integration and his experience also helped him read the map.
"Eric is a very comfortable guy, he knew this was Joe Ragland's team and didn't try to change it. He understood the importance of Joe and connected with him immediately, on and off the field. They spent quite a bit of time off the field," the club said.
green.
Get involved quickly, photo: Liron Moldovan
"Everyone welcomed me with open arms, I'm happy to be here and feel that on the court our connection is good and right. From the first moment they let me be who I am," Green told Israel Hayom when asked about the quick absorption in the purple.
The connection between the pair of experienced guards was felt very quickly on the field and produced receipts.
"The connection between them was impressive from the very first game. Eric is a very smart player who fits in great next to Joe. The combination between Joe and Eric reminds us of the combination between Joe and Tyrus Magee that brought us a championship last season," shared Guy Goodes after the home win against Galatasaray.
"The combination of Eric here is a blessing for us. He and Joe are players at a very high level and we see it."
Green, who landed in Israel at the age of 31, after many years at the top of basketball, including stints in the NBA and the EuroLeague, seemed from the first moment to be very mature and at peace with himself, with some in the club affectionately calling him the 'silent killer' due to his ability on the court and his easy-going temperament.
"I've grown up, I'm not the same young kid I was. I'm at a stage in my career where I know what's expected of me and what I have to do," he testified honestly.
Green, who plays an average of 34.5 minutes per night (second in the league) knows when he is required to take over the game, gets to the line with an impressive frequency of 6.2 shots per game (second in the league) and maintains an incredible efficiency of 0.70 points per minute (second in the league).
Ragland.
A good combination, photo: Alan Shiver
On the floor, Green records exceptional numbers and leads the Israeli league's scoring list with 24.0 points, 54.4% for two points, 41.2% for threes (8.5 shots per game, second in the league), 83.8% from the free throw line, a 24.2 index (fourth in the league) along with 4.7 assists and an average of 3.2 rebounds per game.
At a very early stage, Holonia realized that there is no need to wait for the end of the contract that will expire at the end of the month to see Green's ability and influence on the team, and offered him an upgraded contract extension until the end of the season.
Every time he was asked, the shooter said that he was interested in staying, but an agreement had to be reached on the terms, as currently the differences between the parties are small.
About three weeks ago, the exit option in the player's contract expired, according to which he could then leave the club without compensation if he received another offer to his liking, but to the happiness of all involved he remained in purple.
"I want to stay here, I'm happy here. I haven't won a championship yet in my career and I'd love to do it here, on the other hand I know it's business and there are many things that make it up," he told Israel Hayom in a special interview a few weeks ago.
At the age of 31, Eric Green continues to scorch nets as he did everywhere he was in his unique way, as the silent killer of the champion.
green.
Want a degree, photo: Alan Shiver
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