Green, a 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) and 170 lb (77 kg) point guard, led Chicago's Hirsch High School to the 1973 IHSA Class AA State championship.

Green was selected with the 16th pick in the 1977 NBA draft, and competed in 14 seasons, playing for the Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics.

[1] In 1988, as a member of the Jazz, Green scored the five millionth point in NBA history, hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the third quarter in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Even more importantly, after a decade of struggling as a franchise, the Jazz won the Midwest Division title and earned their first-ever appearance in the NBA playoffs, advancing to the conference semifinals before losing to the Phoenix Suns.

Green remained the starting point guard for Utah for most of the next three seasons, leading the team into the playoffs each year, but was increasing challenged for playing time by a young new arrival named John Stockton, whom the Jazz had selected in the 1984 NBA draft.