Gator great promoted to Florida basketball’s on-court coaching staff
Former Florida men’s basketball guard Taurean Green, who helped the Gators earn a pair of national championship titles back in the middle aughts, was promoted to development assistant on Tuesday according to reports.
Green returned to his alma mater to serve as UF’s director of player development in 2022-23, in which he assisted with on-court coaching duties while other assistants were away. As a result of the NCAA expanding coaching staff sizes by two spots — both in men’s and women’s basketball — Golden had room for a full-time on-court role with the program this coming season.
The 36-year-old coach was a member of the memorable “Oh Fours” that made school history with their back-to-back titles. After his successful collegiate career, he was taken in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2007 NBA draft by the Portland Trailblazers but was traded six months later to the Denver Nuggets.
In all, he played 74 total minutes over 17 games between the two teams in one NBA season, scoring 27 points while grabbing 10 rebounds, dishing out 11 assists and snagging a pair of steals. He spent the rest of his career playing overseas in Europe, with a stint in The Basketball Tournament in 2017.
Green returned to basketball states-side after retiring in 2021 with the Chicago Bulls, where he worked alongside former coach Billy Donovan and father Sidney Green with the franchise. Now that his globetrotting days are over, he is back in Gainesville where it all began and could not be happier.
“It feels great. Everything comes full circle,” Green told Gators Online last June. “I’m just appreciative Coach Golden giving me an opportunity to be part of the staff, to come back to the University of Florida. It’s a great opportunity with a young, energetic staff that really knows basketball.”
He is joined by former Washington State assistant John Andrzejek who is the second addition to Golden’s staff per the NCAA’s edict. Together, they will help Florida get ready for its season opener on Nov. 6 against Loyola Maryland in Gainesville.
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