ESPN’s 30 for 30 Shorts is featuring one of the most popular NBA teams of all time—The L.A. Lakers. And guess who is on the spotlight this time around? None other than A.C. Green, also dubbed as Iron Man by his teammates.
Do you recall the ‘Showtime’ era? It was an era where partying left and right was hard to resist if you were an L.A. Laker player. And yet, Green simply focused on his game, career and his devotion to his religion. The latest installment of the ESPN series highlights Green as The Iron Virgin, showing the story of how Green stuck to his celibacy rule and stay committed to his faith despite the temptations of life in the NBA.
Green’s teammates would remember him as a nice guy on and off the court. “I’ve never seen a nicer athlete,” Jerry West said of Green. His teammates would always remember Green bringing his Bible wherever he goes. He was never ashamed of his faith and sharing the ‘Word’ with his teammates either.
“He was a man of God,” Byron Scott said. It was very true. He lived it every day of his life, which is why he chose to be celibate during his NBA career. ‘The Showtime’ era was described as a “sexual carnival” and it took a lot from a person to resist all the temptations, including the booze, the parties and most of all the women.
Well, his solution? Simple, he just wouldn’t join the guys when they partied. “I won’t go out with you guys but I’ll pray for you guys,” is what Green would offer as a response to an invitation to a party. And when the temptations become greater, he said he would begin praying and “saying prayers super loud.”
Green stayed celibate until he was 38 and that’s until his wedding night, when he married Veronique Green in 2002. The ESPN series will show his story in detail, as narrated by Will Ferrell and produced by Adam McKay.
