{"id":99428,"date":"2024-10-04T15:41:52","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T19:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=99428"},"modified":"2024-10-04T15:41:52","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T19:41:52","slug":"the-similarities-between-jalen-green-and-steve-francis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/04\/the-similarities-between-jalen-green-and-steve-francis\/","title":{"rendered":"The Similarities Between Jalen Green and Steve Francis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Houston has a problem. It’s reminiscent of one they’ve had before. Can they fix it in time to save their 2024\u201325 season? A shot at the play-in tournament<\/a> is on the line this year. More importantly, though, the long-term future of the franchise may be at stake as well.<\/p>\n

The Similarities Between Jalen Green and Steve Francis<\/h2>\n

Houston Today<\/h3>\n

Pre-season has already begun. The regular season will begin on the 22nd of October. Supposedly<\/a>, Houston has made some progress in contract extension talks with starting center Alperen Sengun<\/a>. The franchise is clearly trying to maintain some cap flexibility<\/a> in the hazardous world of the new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). There’s also the slightly awkward roster-building proposition<\/a> that a player with Sengun’s particular profile presents. However, Houston’s real problem isn’t necessarily about Sengun<\/a> at all, it may be more about his co-star, Jalen Green<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Houston Then<\/h3>\n

Interestingly, the Houston Rockets are a franchise that has been in a similar situation before. Enter Steve Francis<\/a>, the former Houston point guard and huge fan favorite. It turned out he wasn’t Jeff Van Gundy<\/a>‘s favorite though. The then Houston head coach, who would go on to become a long-time ESPN announcer, drastically reduced<\/a> Francis’ role in favor of what he saw as a more efficient offensive option. That offensive option was none other than Hall of Famer Yao Ming<\/a>. Next, general manager Daryl Morey<\/a> reduced Francis’ role even further. He packaged him in a trade for another Hall of Famer in Tracy McGrady<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How Francis Became the Franchise<\/h3>\n

So it was that Francis only played with Houston for the first five years of his career. Memorably<\/a>, he wasn’t actually drafted by the team though. Instead, he was drafted by the now-defunct Vancouver Grizzlies with the second overall pick in 1999. Throughout that brief Houston career, Francis averaged<\/a> 19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. That’s including his final year, which occurred after his relegation in the pecking order reduced his average to 16.6 points per game. In his time there, he won Rookie of the Year and was a three-time All-Star. He was an electric player to watch, with a bombastic style and the bonafide best nickname in sports \u2013 Stevie Franchise.<\/p>\n