He's gone.

(Pause for celebratory fist pump)

From henceforth, Donte Greene will be forever known as a former Syracuse basketball player.

Personally, I couldn't be more thrilled.

Not because I didn't like Donte. I did.

Donte is a talker. Stick a microphone or a tape recorder in his face and he'll yap.

Reporters love guys like this.

Plus, he's a talented basketball player. Most Orange fans choose to forget this.

Greene averaged 17.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during his freshman campaign.

But SU underachieved, and thus a bulk of the blame was cast on this kid's shoulders.

Never mind the injuries that depleted the starting lineup. Never mind the lack of a proven veteran or the lack of depth on the bench.

Donte caught the wrath of the fan base.

Paul Harris didn't catch the wrath, even though he admitted to quitting during a home loss to Villanova. Arinze Onuaku didn't earn the fans' ire, even though he disappeared during a lengthy stretch in the Big East season.

Even Scoop Jardine, who was suspended for his involvement with a stolen meal card, wasn't treated with a fraction of the hostility directed toward Greene.

So I'm thrilled he's gone, because maybe now the complaining will stop.

-

Last Thursday, Donte Greene was selected 28th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2008 NBA Draft. Later that night Greene was traded to the Houston Rockets, where he was officially introduced at a news conference Friday.

In pre-draft predictions, Greene was slotted as a possible late-lottery pick. At worst, he'd go in the early 20s.

He slipped a bit. And rightly so.

Greene isn't going to make an immediate impact. The Rockets have already admitted this.

He's a draft pick for the future.

Greene needs to fill out his frame and reevaluate his shot selection. Anybody who watched his play in the second half of the college season knows this.

So I'm not surprised his stock dropped. He's a slightly immature 20-year-old with off-the-charts athleticism, questionable mental toughness and a wiry frame.

That said, I think Greene is a perfect fit in Houston.

The Rockets, already a playoff team, are a horrible 3-point shooting team. They shot a paltry 34 percent from long range this past season, with only one player eclipsing the 40-percent mark.

I've never asked him directly, but I can safely assume that Donte's favorite thing to do is launch the 3.

Put him on the floor with Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier and Yao Ming, and he'll get his shots.

But can he convert?

Although he set the Syracuse freshman record for 3s in a season (90), Greene shot just 28.6 percent from downtown in Big East play.

Donte has the skills, he just needs to be molded. Houston coach Rick Adelman will make this happen.

I think it'll be a good thing for Donte to be the low man on the totem pole. He's used to always being the best player, the go-to guy.

But in the NBA, he'll blend in, if not disappear all together.

The cockiness won't play as a rookie. The number of shots won't be to his liking. He won't even crack the starting lineup. In fact, there'll be some games where he doesn't even take off the warm-ups.

And this is a good thing.

It may just be the wake-up call Greene and all NBA rookies need.

Donte will have a career in the NBA. Will it be all-star caliber?

Possibly.

First, he has to mature both on and off the court.

Second, he has to understand that he won't be in the spotlight. That's something you must earn.

Third, he must be receptive to coaching. Higher ups are going to try and change his game and he must listen. The run-and-gun, no-defense style of basketball doesn't fly in the NBA unless you're Gilbert Arenas. And Greene is no Gilbert. Not yet.

Finally, he has to realize this is a process. Donte isn't going to win Rookie of the Year. He could be productive with the Rockets, but it won't be for two or more years.

If Donte learns what the NBA's about, puts in his time and develops the weaker aspects of his game - defense and low-post moves - he'll be fine.

On paper, Houston is a good fit.

And on paper, Donte Greene is a heck of a basketball player.

But he hasn't earned anything yet.

He has to put in the work first.