“It’s a Philly cheesesteak, man! Everybody knows how to make a Philly cheesesteak.”

Then, Quade Green began listing off his favorite Philadelphia cheesesteak spots – Jim’s, Geno’s, Pat’s, Ishkabibble's. Maybe it is cliché. Maybe being born and raised in Philadelphia, it is just in his blood.

He does not forget his favorite hoagie joint either, Ricci Brother’s, which is right down the street from his high school. Moving on to another topic, basketball, for the 6-foot-1 Green, only one Philly icon comes to mind.

“I used to watch him every day,” Green said of former Philadelphia 76er legend and 2004 Olympian, Allen Iverson. “I went to a lot of games when I was young. I just remember him balling on everybody, any time anyone tried to guard him.”

Philadelphia is a city of history, and basketball history, too. Nobody can dispute that. Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Geno Auriemma, Dawn Staley – those are just a few, and you probably thought of others, but the list could be several paragraphs long.

He names his favorite Philadelphia hoopers. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Chamberlain, Iverson, Charles Barkley and Dr. J make his starting five. He also likes current 76er Joel Embiid, too. They are both big fans the non-alcoholic mixed drink, Shirley Temples.

“I’m dead serious. I love Shirley Temples,” he said, with some pride behind it.

That is the culture of Philly. It is a prideful city. Philadelphians love being from Philadelphia. From the southwest corner of the city, Green is another highly touted basketball prospect looking to honor the place he calls home.

“I’m very proud of being from here. Everybody that makes it from here has come out of the same mud, really.

“Everybody has heart. And, people here can have a cold, cold heart. It’s what I like about it though, because everybody is tough here.”

Green hails from Philly’s Eastwick neighborhood, but attends Neumann-Goretti High School in the city’s core. He has been a valuable member of three state championship teams at Neumann-Goretti and was named the 2016 Pennsylvania Class 3A Player of the Year after averaging 18.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

Among the many successful prep players bred in Philadelphia, Green’s accolades stack up with the best, even as he currently pursues a fourth-consecutive state championship with the Saints.

“It means a lot,” he said, of his three state titles so far. “But you can’t take it for granted, because you never know if you’ll ever get there again. You might lose. You keep working and try to win some more.

2016 was a monumental year for Green and one he believes was the best of his young career. Shortly after helping Neumann-Goretti to its state crown, he embarked on the Nike EYBL Circuit with his summer team, ProScholars Athletics (PSA) Cardinals, and good became great.

“I was in the gym every day, praying to God and working on my craft. It showed on the court.”

He recorded double-doubles for points and assists in five of PSA’s first seven games and finished with double-digit assist outings in 12-of-15 games. Green was an All-EYBL first-team selection, averaging 14.1 ppg., 10.5 apg. and 2.9 spg. on the circuit.

He labeled it “a crazy experience” as he played alongside fellow Nike Hoop Summit athlete Mohamed Bamba. In July, the duo was selected to compete for USA Basketball at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.

It was Green’s first international competition with USA Basketball, as he helped the U18’s to a gold medal and 5-0 record in Valdivia, Chile, averaging 4.6 ppg. and 2.6 apg.

“It was a dream come true, really – an amazing opportunity,” he said. “You see guys like LeBron [James], Kevin Durant, Chris Paul doing it, and you work hard trying to do what they do. They play in the USA jersey, so of course I want to play for the USA at my age level. I made it, and I’m truly blessed for that.”

In his second run with USA Basketball, Green will join the USA Junior National Select Team for the 20^th annual Nike Hoop Summit on April 7, at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

Green, who completed the trifecta of being named to the McDonald’s All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit, is the first Philadelphian to be selected for the competition in its 20-year existence.

At the Nike Hoop Summit, he is a member of a star-studded USA cast – something he believes elevates his game at point guard.

“I think I’m a guy that molds and helps the team get along. I get everybody on one page. Once that happens, the chips fall where you want them to.”

Green is hopeful that is the case moving forward, too. He is sure to link with other top prospects next fall after signing with the University of Kentucky during the early signing period this past November.

Bamba is one of four uncommitted players on the USA roster, and despite being buddies, Green is not trying too hard to sway Bamba in favor of the Wildcats. He lets him know where his loyalty lies, though.

“I just say ‘BBN’ – Big Blue Nation – to him, when I see him.”

Another Big Blue Nation commit, Jarred Vanderbilt, is on the USA roster, though, and Green looks forward to catching up with him in the coming weeks. The move to Lexington, Kentucky, in general, is one that he is anxiously anticipating. Coach John Calipari’s reputation has him excited for what could come as Wildcat.

“He’s a hard worker, and he’s dedicated to his craft. He wants to build with the best players in the country. His results show for themselves. He does well with them, and he gets his players better, too, from high school to the end of their college careers.”

A player already in Lexington, former USA Nike Hoop Summit athlete Isaiah Briscoe, may also await Green’s arrival. Briscoe, from Union, New Jersey, just south of Newark, and Green have been friends since Green’s sophomore year of high school, and should Briscoe return to Kentucky for his junior season, the two point guards could unite for a dynamic backcourt for the Wildcats.

“If he comes back, we’ll have fun. I can play with another guy in the backcourt. I’m not a selfish player. But, it’s everyone’s dream to play in the league,” Green said, even mentioning that his nickname of “Q-Boogi” is a play-off of Isaiah’s, “Zay-Boogie.”

“If he does come back, it’ll be good for me and good for him, because we can set one another up. We can both handle the ball and both can score.”

Just the thought of this ignites Green, who thinks of himself as more of a true point guard. He is a passer, a vocal leader and excels at getting to the rim. The pull-up jumper and catch-and-shoot scenarios also are in his scoring arsenal, but he insists getting his teammates involved is where he thrives.

With no lack of talent around him on the USA Nike Hoop Summit roster, the pieces for success at point guard will be in place. After 18 years in Philadelphia, he admitted he is ready to move on, just to experience something different. But, he learned something at a young age, and you cannot take this away from him, so he is bringing this part of Philly to Portland and Lexington.

“You have to be tough in this environment, especially with basketball. You have to be so mentally tough here. I get my toughness from Philly, from playing in the park. I learned that when I was five years old.”

And maybe, if he is lucky, he will find a tasty hoagie and cheesesteak spot in Portland, too.