Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and the other core young pieces have finally brought some hope to Houston. Many experts and veterans across the league have taken notice of Houston’s talent evolution. Among the various experts around the league buzzing about the Rockets is Warriors vet Draymond Green. Jalen Green seems to stand out most for Draymond among the young talent stacked in Houston.
Not many Houstonians will call themselves Draymond fans after all his contributions to ruining this city’s championship hopes. However, he has reached a point in his career where you have to respect the amount of experience he has—a true veteran of the league, so to say. Draymond is probably second to none in identifying talent and analyzing the game from every angle.
Draymond Green Lauds Jalen Green for Finally Evolving
In his recent conversation with Kelly Iko of the Athletic, Draymond had some observations about Jalen. He said,
“When he first came in, he was all about himself. He’s playing team basketball now. He’s not forcing it. He’s defending better and taking that side more seriously. And I watch more than just the game — I recognized he held a team camp this summer in LA (Los Angeles]. That’s a level of leadership that we didn’t see from him coming into this league. It’s just good to see him grow.”
Jalen Green having fun with the kids at his basketball camp pic.twitter.com/HpP3h4Rt8Q
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) September 14, 2024
Jalen seems to have thoroughly impressed Draymond this season. However, Draymond’s recognition of Jalen’s efforts on the defensive end of the floor should mean a lot more to him, since Jalen was gifted with athleticism and scoring skills even before coming into the league. However, defensive skills are something he developed over the years after coming into the league. Jalen’s defensive rating over the years has been:
- 2021-22:120.2
- 2022-23:122.5
- 2023-24:114.7
- 2024-25: 112.7
This shows that over the years, Jalen has improved drastically on defense, especially this season. He has found a place for himself within the system that head coach Ime Udoka envisions for this team, and turned a weakness into more of a strength.
Is Jalen Green Ready to be the Face of the Houston Rockets?
After signing a massive rookie extension in the pre-season, Jalen is ready to take the keys for the franchise. Consequently, Jalen has become a threat to score 25+ points per game. He is currently averaging 21.7 points per game over the first nine games of the season. However, Jalen needs to become more consistent. There have been various games this season where his inconsistency has cost him minutes of the floor. No one escapes the accountability that Udoka expects from this team. He seems to have won over the front office, but until he wins over Ime, superstar status eludes him.
Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun: the next Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray?
In the same article written by Kelly Iko, Jalen brought up his future vision of the team. Wherein he thinks he and Sengun could become the next Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in the NBA. That is a bold take for sure, but one Rockets fans would love to see.
