Jalen Green
![]() Green at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup | |
No. 0 – Houston Rockets | |
---|---|
Position | Shooting guard |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born | Merced, California | February 9, 2002
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Listed weight | 186 lb (84 kg) |
Career information | |
High school |
|
NBA draft | 2021: 1st round, 2nd overall pick |
Selected by the Houston Rockets | |
Playing career | 2021–present |
Career history | |
2021 | NBA G League Ignite |
2021–present | Houston Rockets |
Career highlights and awards | |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Medals |
Jalen Romande Green (born February 9, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 186 pounds (84 kg), he plays the shooting guard position. He was a consensus five-star recruit and the best shooting guard in the 2020 class, with ESPN ranking him number one overall. He finished his high school career at Prolific Prep in Napa, California, and he chose to forgo college basketball to join the G League Ignite team in its inaugural season. Green has won three gold medals with the United States at the junior level and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup. Green was selected by the Houston Rockets with the second overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.[1]
Early life
Green was born in Merced, California.[2] He grew up in Livingston, California. When Green was in third grade, he moved with his family back to Fresno, California. By sixth grade, he was playing Amateur Athletic Union basketball and practicing for five hours each day.[3]
High school career
For his first three years of high school, Green played basketball for San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno. As a freshman, he was a full-time starter and averaged 18.1 points and nine rebounds per game.[2] He led his team to a CIF Central Section Division II runner-up finish and the CIF Division II quarterfinals.[4][5] He earned MaxPreps Freshman All-American second team and CIF Central Section rookie of the year honors.[2][5] In his sophomore season, Green averaged 27.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, leading San Joaquin Memorial to a Central Section Division II title and the CIF Open Division playoffs.[2][6][7] He was named MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year and made the USA Today All-USA California second team.[7][8] He was #1 in the ESPN but drop to #3 then he came back up to #1 again.
As a junior, Green averaged 30.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for San Joaquin Memorial.[2] He won his second consecutive Central Division II championship. In the title game, Green surpassed the school career scoring record of 2,288 held by Roscoe Pondexter since 1971.[9] He also helped his team reach the CIF Northern California Division I quarterfinals.[10] Green was named USA Today All-USA California player of the year and appeared on the All-USA second team and MaxPreps All-American second team.[11][12][13] For his senior season, he transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California.[14] He helped his team win the Grind Session World championship.[15] In March 2020, he shared Grind Session most valuable player honors with Daishen Nix.[16] Green averaged 31.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and five assists per game, leading his team to a 31–3 record. He was named Sports Illustrated All-American player of the year and to the MaxPreps All-American first team.[17][18] Green was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game, the Jordan Brand Classic, and the Nike Hoop Summit, but all three games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]
Recruiting
Green was a consensus five-star recruit and the number one shooting guard in the 2020 recruiting class, according to major recruiting services 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals. He is ranked as the top recruit in his class by ESPN.[20][21][22] He received offers from many NCAA Division I basketball programs, including Arizona, Florida State, and USC before turning 15 years old.[23][24] On April 16, 2020, Green announced that he would join the NBA G League, forgoing college basketball.[25] He chose the G League over offers from Auburn, Oregon, and Memphis.[26]
Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jalen Green SG |
Fresno, CA | Prolific Prep (CA) | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | — | |
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||||
Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 2 247Sports: 2 ESPN: 1 | ||||||
Sources:
|
Professional career
NBA G League Ignite (2021)
On April 16, 2020, Green signed a one-year, $600,000 contract with the NBA G League Ignite, a developmental team affiliated with the NBA G League.[27][28] He became the first player to join the team.[25] On March 8, 2021, Green recorded a season-high 30 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in a 127–102 loss to the Raptors 905 in the first round of the playoffs.[29] He averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.[30]
Houston Rockets (2021–present)
On July 29, 2021, Green was selected by the Houston Rockets second overall in the 2021 NBA draft.[1] On August 8, he made his summer league debut in a 84–76 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers where he posted 23 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 30 minutes.[31] He made the All-Summer League Second Team after missing the last three of five games due to soreness on his right hamstring.[32][33] He made his preseason debut on October 5 in a 125–119 win against the Washington Wizards with 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists.[34] On October 20, Green made his NBA debut, putting up nine points, four rebounds, and four assists in a 124–106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.[35] On October 24, Green put up 30 points, with eight three-pointers made, in a 107–97 loss to the Boston Celtics, becoming the first rookie to put up at least 30 points and eight threes in a game in franchise history.[36]
National team career
Green represents the United States internationally but has also shown interest in playing for the Philippines in the future due to his partial Filipino background.[37] He made his national team debut for the United States at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Formosa, Argentina. In five games, he averaged 9.8 points, two rebounds, and one steal per game, helping his team win the gold medal.[38] He was named MVP of the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup in Argentina after averaging a team-high 15.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game and winning the gold medal.[39] Green won another gold medal with the United States at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Heraklion, Greece. As the youngest member of his team, he averaged 10.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.[40][41]
Player profile
Standing at 6 feet and 4 inches (1.93 meters) with a wingspan of 6 ft. and 7.5 in. (2.02 m) and standing reach of 8 feet and 5 inches (2.57 m), Green primarily plays as a shooting guard. He is known for his elite athleticism, handling skills, and versatile scoring abilities that makes him an on- and off-the-ball threat in a half-court setting and in transition, drawing comparisons to Zach LaVine, Ray Allen, Kelly Oubre Jr., Bradley Beal, Clyde Drexler, and Kobe Bryant.[42][43][44][45][46] Green utilizes an "explosive" first step that allows him to attack the rim and speed past on-ball defenders.
Scouts have noted that though his efficiency was "solid" in the NBA G League, he can be a mercurial shooter from night to night. His defense, passing abilities, and small frame at 178 pounds have also been noted by scouts.
Career statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA G League
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020–21 | NBA G League | 15 | 15 | 32.0 | .461 | .365 | .829 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 1.5 | .3 | 17.9 |
Career | 15 | 15 | 32.0 | .461 | .365 | .829 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 1.5 | .3 | 17.9 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020–21 | NBA G League | 1 | 1 | 41.0 | .550 | .300 | .571 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | .0 | 30.0 |
Career | 1 | 1 | 41.0 | .550 | .300 | .571 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | .0 | 30.0 |
Personal life
Green's mother, Bree Puruganan, is of partial Filipino descent through her grandfather.[47][48][49] His step-father, Marcus Green, was a basketball teammate of NBA player DeShawn Stevenson at Washington Union High School in Fresno. He has a younger sister.[3]
References
- ^ a b "Rockets Select Jalen Green Second Overall in 2021 NBA Draft". NBA.com. July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Jalen Green". USA Basketball. June 20, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Warszawski, Marek (January 12, 2018). "Talent, hard work lift Memorial High hoops star Jalen Green to top of his class". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
- ^ Boogaard, Andy (March 11, 2017). "Foes travel far to eliminate Memorial's girls, boys from basketball regional". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "2016-17 MaxPreps Boys Basketball Freshman All-American Team". MaxPreps. April 18, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ Galaviz, Anthony (March 2, 2018). "Dameane Douglas comes up big as Memorial boys beat Selma for section crown". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Divens, Jordan (April 17, 2018). "2017-18 MaxPreps Boys Basketball Sophomore All-American Team". MaxPreps. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ Hilbert, Evan (April 16, 2018). "2017-18 ALL-USA California Boys Basketball Team". USA Today High School Sports. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ Galaviz, Anthony (February 22, 2019). "It's back-to-back section titles for San Joaquin Memorial as Jalen Green sets mark". The Tribune. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ Jensen, Phil (March 1, 2019). "O'Dowd defeats San Joaquin Memorial, moves on to D-I semifinals". The Mercury News. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ "2018-19 ALL-USA California Boys Basketball Team". USA Today High School Sports. April 16, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ "2018-19 ALL-USA High School Boys Basketball: Second Team". USA Today High School Sports. April 2, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ Divens, Jordan (April 11, 2019). "MaxPreps 2018-19 High School Boys Basketball All-American Team". MaxPreps. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ Jordan, Jason (March 7, 2019). "Chosen 25 guard Jalen Green to transfer to Prolific Prep". USA Today High School Sports. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ Morris, Gus (March 19, 2020). "Prolific Prep of Napa Christian wins national title before COVID-19 shutdown". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ Gordon, Sam (April 28, 2020). "Five-star guard Daishen Nix to sign with NBA's G League". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ Jordan, Jason (April 3, 2020). "Meet SI All-American's Player of the Year, Jalen Green". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ Divens, Jordan (March 25, 2020). "MaxPreps 2019-20 High School Boys Basketball All-American Team". MaxPreps. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ Spears, Marc J. (March 19, 2020). "Top hoops prospect Jalen Green has all-star dreams crushed by coronavirus pandemic". The Undefeated. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Jalen Green, Prolific Prep, Combo Guard". 247Sports.com. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Jalen Green". ESPN. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Jalen Green, 2020 Shooting guard". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ Evans, Corey (December 17, 2016). "Jalen Green already a wanted man". HoopSeen. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Boogaard, Andy (January 7, 2017). "Memorial boys very young, very good; plus new section hoops rankings". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ a b Givony, Jonathan; Wojnarowski, Adrian (April 16, 2020). "Top high school player Jalen Green enters NBA/G League pathway". ESPN. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ Niebuhr, Keith (April 16, 2020). "5-star Jalen Green picks G League over Auburn, Memphis". 247Sports. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ "Top high school prospect Jalen Green signs deal with NBA G League". National Basketball Association. April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ Evans, Corey (April 16, 2020). "Sources: G-League will pay Jalen Green $500,000 for one year". Rivals. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
- ^ "Jalen Green's 30 points not enough as Raptors 905 ousts Ignite". ABS-CBN. March 9, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
- ^ Irving, Kyle (April 15, 2021). "2021 NBA Draft: Jalen Green scouting report, strengths, weaknesses and player comparisons". National Basketball Association. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
- ^ "Houston vs. Cleveland - Box Score - August 8, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
- ^ "Jalen Green Injuries Hamstring, Will Reportedly Undergo MRI". SLAM. 2021-08-14. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
- ^ "Kings' Davion Mitchell, Nets' Cam Thomas named Summer League co-MVPs". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
- ^ "Wizards vs. Rockets - Box Score - October 5, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
- ^ Yuvan, Darren (October 20, 2021). "Rockets struggle in opener, fall 124-106 to Timberwolves". SB Nation. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
- ^ Samillano, Gerard (October 24, 2021). "Rockets rookie Jalen Green breaks Houston record that'll make fans forget James Harden". ClutchPoints. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ Terrado, Reuben (March 21, 2018). "Jalen Green open to playing for PH team. Gilas is interested. But can he be eligible?". SPIN.ph. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ "Jalen Green (USA)'s profile - FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2017". FIBA. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ "USA's Jalen Green wins U17 World Cup MVP, tops All-Star Five". FIBA. July 9, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ "Jalen Green (USA)'s profile - FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019". FIBA. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ Drumwright, Steve (June 24, 2019). "Jalen Green, The Youngest Player on USA U19 World Cup Team, Is Eager For More International Action". USA Basketball.
- ^ "Jalen Green - NBADraft.net". NBADraft.net. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ "2021 NBA Draft: Jalen Green scouting report, strengths, weaknesses and player comparisons". NBA.com Canada | The official site of the NBA. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ "NBA Draft 2021: Player comparisons for Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green and other top-10 prospects". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ Vecenie, Kelly Iko and Sam. "Jalen Green scouting report: What to expect from the Rockets' first pick". The Athletic. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ "Jalen Green NBA Draft Profile & Outlook: How Good is the G League Prospect?". Action Network. 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ Sarmenta, Yoyo (March 19, 2018). "Fil- He has 2 siblings, Kyrie Green and Kamron Green. Am Jalen Green uses NBTC to showcase athleticism, all-around skills". ESPN. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ Newman, Logan (October 8, 2018). "Chosen 25 guard Jalen Green, a poodle, and his plan to be a veterinarian". USA Today High School Sports. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
- ^ Ward-Henninger, Colin (July 26, 2018). "Jalen Green could be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, and he's so much more than just a unicorn". CBSSports. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
External links
- 2002 births
- Living people
- 21st-century African-American people
- African-American basketball players
- American men's basketball players
- American sportspeople of Filipino descent
- Basketball players from California
- American people of Ilocano descent
- Houston Rockets draft picks
- Houston Rockets players
- McDonald's High School All-Americans
- NBA G League Ignite players
- People from Merced, California
- Shooting guards