CHAPEL HILL — For the North Carolina seniors, part of grooming freshman for the basketball season is helping them understand the plays, pushing them on defense, encouraging them to speed on the court.
But for Danny Green, there’s an extra responsibility: teaching someone to “Jump Around.”
Now that the swingman is in the starting line-up, he’s looking to pass the torch on his frenetic, hopping, twisting, grinning, pre-game routine in front of the bench that was born to the beat of the House of Pain song.
His leading candidate: Justin Watts, a 6-feet-4 guard from Durham.
“He’s a real happy-go-lucky kid who likes to get out there and dance, especially when we go out and stuff,’’ Green said Saturday. “ … He’s a dancer, so in my book, he’s close to earning that position for sure. … Dancing all the time, he reminds me a little bit of me.”
Watts hasn’t quite earned the nod yet, partially because he injured his knee in Friday’s practice and was in a suit for Saturday’s exhibition game. When the song came on, the reserves were rather still as Green walked onto the court. Eventually, a few of the guys moved bobbed their heads and shimmied their upper bodies, but there was no true jumping around, Danny style.
“I missed it a little bit,’’ said Green, who will start only the second regular-season game of his career when the No. 1 Tar Heels play Penn this Saturday. “As soon as the music started, Coach looked at me, waiting to see what I was going to do. He knows I can’t dance on the floor, so hopefully someone will take over eventually.”
Robbi Pickeral has covered ACC sports for The News & Observer since 2003. She can be reached at 
Comments
speedo guy!
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 20:29 — gvillegatrtheres some class right there!
always good to hear from izzkareem as well. thought maybe he had dug his head in the ground like an ostrich! oh well.
nothing new about that . . .
Wed, 11/12/2008 - 00:05 — melvinfurdhe's famous for digging his head in the ground like an ostrich.
Danny, get lost
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 18:31 — laettner92To outsiders, this dance makes Danny Green look like a moron. I wish he would have "jumped around" to the NBA so all college basketball fans could have been put out of their misary. It's no wonder the NBA wouldn't have him. Danny, show some class, get mature and play basketball, not make a fool of yourself.
to outsiders.. in
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 18:39 — TarHeelFan05to outsiders..
in outsiders do you mean dookie fans like yourself? And if so, then who really cares what the "outsiders" think. If everyone hates it so much, then how come during college basketball season it is always seen on ESPN during highlight segments and such. I think it's a fun and entertaining thing to watch myself. In a way it's like the players interacting w/ the fans.
Mind your on dookies, we could bring up the topic of the "Speedo Guy" but i guess Duke fans like stuff like that.
blah, blah, blah
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 23:44 — laettner92Hey, Speedo Guy only occured 2 times that I know of. We don't have to be subject to seeing that every game like Danny Green.
You bring up ESPN always showing the dance, yet it is ESPN that has glorified Speedo Guy. So by your logic, everyone must like Speedo Guy, right? In a way it's like fans interacting w/ the players.
Not all Duke fans like the Speedo Guy and trust me, a good percentage of tar heel fans dislike the dance. Put it to rest and stop beating the dead horse. The dance got old by midseason last year.
Let it be
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 15:12 — GGillenIt was fun when it was a spontaneous Danny Green celebration but I don't think it's necessary to have a designated player dance. Just playing the music and having the students and fans jump up and down is enough to get everyone in the building pumped up.
relieved...
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 14:16 — izzykareemthat this existential question will hopefully be answered and more importantly, if not answered, is that it's being pondered: Who will jump around???
He snuck a few in
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 10:57 — fourcornersDanny slipped a couple of moves in right as the ball went up Saturday. Subtlety is key. I was hoping Zeller would get the nod, however.
Danny -- time and place
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 10:53 — gvillegatrlove the dance and enthusiasm since I root for UNC but thanks for keeping it to the bench and not the middle of the court when you start!