St. John’s Mourns the Loss of Lee Green

QUEENS, N.Y. (March 24, 2020) – St. John’s University mourns the loss of one of its own, as former men’s basketball player Lee Green has passed away.

Green, a Parade All-American out of Tolentine High School in the Bronx, played three years at St. John’s beginning in 1991. He served a key role on a pair of NCAA Tournament teams during that time, known widely for his ability to lock down the opposition’s top offensive threat.

“We all mourn the loss of a tremendous member of our St. John’s family,” said St. John’s Head Coach Mike Anderson. “He left behind a lasting legacy with his contributions to our basketball program and touched so many lives in his years of service as a police officer in New York City. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”

After playing his first collegiate season under Lou Carnesecca, Green suited up for Brian Mahoney during his last two campaigns in Queens.

“He was a very happy young guy,” said Mahoney. “He had a great personality. All his teammates loved him very much.

“He was a very gifted athlete, very strong,” continued Mahoney. “He was a guard who could penetrate. He had very good skills penetrating, dribbling the ball and became a very good defensive player for us.”

Green, who became a police officer in Brooklyn following his playing career, maintained a close relationship with the program over the years, attending games as recently as this past season.

“He was our defensive lockdown guy,” Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine Ron Linfonte told The New York Post. “He could score if he needed to. He was one of the guys who really relished the role of ‘Give me your best player and I’ll lock him down.’ He sacrificed his offense a lot for the good of the team, and he was everybody’s favorite.”