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The Houston Rockets selected Jalen Green with the #2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, adding the talented shooting guard to their relatively young roster. Green took the unconventional route of joining a G League team instead of playing for a college, but it was a gamble that certainly paid off.
The Houston Rockets have a gem on their hands in Jalen Green, and in this article, we will take a detailed look at his profile, skill, and fit with the Houston Rockets.
Player Profile: Jalen Green
Listed at 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) and 180 pounds (82 kg), Jalen Green plays the shooting guard position. ESPN had ranked Green as the number one recruit in the class of 2020, and he was a consensus five-star recruit. The shooting guard finished his schooling with Prolific Prep and chose to play for G League team Ignite instead of opting for college.
Green won the MVP title during the 2018 FIBA U-17 World Cup and made the McDonald's All-American Game in 2020. In the 15 games he played in the G League last season, he averaged 17.9 points, four rebounds, and two assists per game on 46% shooting from the field. In the only playoff game he played, he put up 30 points, five rebounds, and seven assists.
Jalen Green's skillset
Jalen Green is a reliable scorer, who has the potential to be a solid 3-level threat. Green has the ideal combination of size and athleticism, and is a menace in the paint due to agility and leaping ability. He is adept at creating shots for himself and possesses the lethal step-back three-point shot in his quiver.
Green also developed the playmaking part of his game with the G League Ignite team, and while his passing still needs some improvement, he theoretically owns the complete offensive package.
How does Jalen Green fit with the Houston Rockets?
The Houston Rockets have been rebuilding since they traded away 2018 MVP James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. With the Jalen Green selection, the Rockets now have four athletic and talented wings on their roster - Kenyon Martin Jr., Jae'Sean Tate, Kevin Porter Jr., and Jalen Green.
The Houston Rockets will start Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. in the backcourt, which will allow them to have two high-volume scorers in the side at the same time. Both Green and Porter Jr. are still learning on the playmaking end, which means the Rockets will likely deploy a fast-paced offense that will include a lot of iso plays for Porter Jr., Green, and Christian Wood.
Defense is where Jalen Green struggles, and the Houston Rockets will have to play a defensively solid player like Jae'Sean Tate to compensate for Green's deficiency on that end. Green has been likened to Zach LaVine and a young Ray Allen, and will likely blossom in the role of primary scorer for the Houston Rockets.
