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3 reason why the Houston Rockets should draft Jalen Green

By N.B. Lindberg

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Jalen Green #4 of the G League Ignite brings the ball up the floor during a G-League game against the Westchester Knicks at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on February 18, 2021 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Jalen Green #4 of the G League Ignite brings the ball up the floor during a G-League game against the Westchester Knicks at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on February 18, 2021 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. /
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Houston Rockets, NBA draft
Jalen Green #4 of the G League Ignite (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Reason #3 why the Houston Rockets should select Jalen Green in the NBA Draft: Proved it at the highest level

It is surprising that there isn’t more buzz surrounding Jalen Green. He eschewed college in favor of playing professional basketball in the NBA’s G-League and more than held his own.

Over the course of 15 games, the G-League season was truncated due to the pandemic, Green averaged 17.9 points a game on 52.9-percent shooting on 2-pointers, 35.6-percent shooting from 3-point range, and 82.9-percent from the free-throw line. Green was the ninth highest scorer in the G-League of any player that played in all 15 games and the eight players ahead of him had an average age of 23 ¼ years old.

While Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley won their conference’s player of year awards and Jalen Suggs helped lead Gonzaga to a nearly flawless season, Green was breaking the ankles of grown men on the cusp of making the NBA. NCAA basketball may get more airtime than the G-League but is by no means near the quality.

Every player in the G-League was either a star in the NCAA or previously in a professional league overseas. If the NBA is comparable to the MLB then the G-League is AAA and the NCAA is low A. It also shouldn’t be forgotten that the college 3-point line is more than a foot and a half closer to the rim than the G-League’s NBA 3-point line.

When you add it all up, Green played against professional athletes, had to shoot threes from farther back, and still managed to be one of the top players in his competition. The G-League isn’t the NBA but it is far better than the NCAA, and while Green’s peers took the easy road, he took a risk and proved he’s more than ready for the NBA.

Next: Reason #2