His sports dreams were birthed at an early age when his Uncle Dee taught him how to swing a bat, shoot a ball, dress well and hold his head up high when speaking. He especially reminded a young Greene to stand firm and proud as a young Black man growing up in Paducah, Kentucky.
Uncle Dee was only 10 years older than Greene and more like a brother than an uncle, but the love and encouragement he poured into his nephew profoundly impacted Greene’s life. Dee was also the first person that Greene watched attend college and graduate.