Jeff Green watched the draft unfold on TV like almost everyone else.
He saw the players the Sonics drafted — Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, D.J. White and DeVon Hardin — and didn't know any of them. Not really.
The fraternity of big-time basketball is small, but Green admitted YouTube videos provided the bulk of his scouting report on his newest teammates. Especially Westbrook.
"I've seen clips of him dunking on guys and playing good defense, but that's about it,"
Green said.
So when the rookies reported to the team's practice facility for their first day on the job Friday afternoon, Green wanted to be there. He sat among Sonics staff and coaches and listened intently to the rookies during their first NBA news conference on the Furtado Center floor.
When it was over, Green donned a pair of shorts, tank top and sneakers for a quick workout while the newest Sonics and their families drove to SeaTac Airport and left town.
The short visit allowed Westbrook, who is conceivably the team's starting-point-guard-in-waiting, to chat briefly with Green, a first-team All-Rookie choice last season.
"He's a great kid with a great personality,"
Green said. "He kind of introduced himself to me first as I was standing there, and then he introduced himself to everybody. That shows me he's a very respectful guy. Having a good character is important. It comes with the territory. You've got to be a good people person."
Green acknowledged how important it was for him and Kevin Durant, last season's Rookie of the Year, to quickly establish a rapport with Westbrook. The trio will be chiefly responsible for returning a foundering franchise back to respectability.
Green said Westbrook reminded him of himself. They're similar on and off the court. They enjoy spending time with their families, and they play basketball with a high level of defensive intensity.
"Defense wins championships,"
Green said. "Just look at Boston."
Minutes later, Westbrook said similar words as did coach P.J. Carlesimo and general manager Sam Presti.
All three predicted the Sonics will be better defensively because of the moves made on draft night. Last season, the Sonics ranked 27th in average points allowed primarily because Carlesimo didn't have his type of players on the court.
"If there's 15 on your roster, you don't need eight defensive players,"
he said. "But you better have a couple that are really good. You can't be teaching everybody who didn't have a defensive disposition before [and say] I'm going to make you a shot-blocker and I'm going to make you a lockdown defender and I'm going to make you a guy that can pressure the ball."
Westbrook, who chatted with Durant in New York on draft night, said it was important for him to make a good first impression Friday.
"When you come into a new situation, you should go up to people, shake their hands, look them in the eye and just be respectful,"
he said. "You've got to show that you want to be a leader. You just can't come in and start taking control. It takes time."
"Leadership is on the court and off the court, but mainly off the court. Whether it's going out or curfew or just being on time. Just little stuff. Being first and staying after practice. Just little stuff that other people see and they might follow."
Note
• The Sonics extended a one-year qualifying offer to center Robert Swift, which makes him a restricted free agent.
