MIAMI, Ok– Steve Green is a NJCAA Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame coach.

But over the weekend he was inducted into the NEO Athletics Hall of Fame. Green played Guard for the Golden Norsemen from 1972 to 1974.

He still holds the NEO record for most steals in one game with 11. But being inducted into the NEO Hall of Fame is something that kind of runs in the family.

Steve Green said, “My father was actually put into this as a basketball coach about 25, 30 years ago now. A lot of the things that I’m being recognized for I did not do here. But after leaving here, as a basketball coach”.

Green’s father Cletus Green was the Men’s Basketball coach at NEO for 16 years where he won 326 games and 8 conference titles. His dad was inducted into the NEO hall of fame in 2009.

Green said, “Oh I can’t remember, three or four months ago whenever it was and told me that I’ve been selected, that’s the first thing that hit me. I know my dad would be extremely, extremely proud of the fact that, his eldest son got it put into the same Hall of Fame. He probably would dispute the 11 steals, though”.

The Miami High School graduate followed in his father’s footsteps, where he has earned 706 career wins. but where he found the most success was at South Plains College.

As head coach he led the Texans to three NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship titles including a perfect 36-0 season in 2012.

Green said, “Seriously, we should have won two more. No, it was outstanding. We had a run there for about ten years where we were either playing for it or we were in the semifinals almost every year. A lot of my assistants went on to get Division I jobs, and, when I hired them, that’s what I told them. You come in here, we win some games and what have you. Hey, our players are going to get recruited and you’re going to get opportunities to go onto Division I. And they did”.

Green was a part of the 2023 Hall of Fame class at NEO, along with 7 other inductees.