A lot has changed for Jalen Green over the matter of months. Right before the season, he landed a three-year $106 million extension with the Houston Rockets. In hindsight, Sengun, a rookie who entered with him found a more lucrative deal from the franchise. But even though the Rockets may be reserving their commitment, Green’s intentions are clear. With a competent unit formed in Houston, he wants to win. And his desire has intensified since a landmark moment in his life.
On May 17, he welcomed his daughter, a first child with his longtime girlfriend Draya Michele. The birth of his daughter changed the outlook that Green held. As a rookie on a bottom-feeding Rockets team, there was room for experimenting and errors. But now the franchise looking to gravitate to winning ways, his daughter is acting as a source of inspiration for Green.
“Fatherhood gave him something extra to work for. He’s working for someone outside of himself now. That will take him to another stage in life,” his father said recognizing the switch within the 22-year-old.
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The journey hasn’t been easy to adapt to by any means. In his first three years, Jalen Green had to field scrutiny due to his limited participation on defense and erratic offensive contributions. Similarly, even Michele had to defend herself recently when cheating allegations were raised by Gilbert Arena’s former beau. But for both of them, the advent of their daughter has allowed them to progress to a mature stage of their life. At least for Green, who is willing to take up greater responsibilities.
via Imago Oct 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka talks with guard Jalen Green (4) on the sideline during the third quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
“I have a family now. “I’m not a rookie anymore. Coming into the league, it was a little different, especially with the Rockets organization. We were losing and in a rebuild. Now, we’ve found ourselves and the goals we’re trying to achieve. With that comes more responsibility and maturity — how you carry yourself as an NBA player, a professional,” he told The Athletic.
And the results are on display this season as Jaln Green looks the lead the Rockets in the wake of their competitive hopes.
Jalen Green has shown immense improvements in his game
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With a 6’7″ wingspan and rapid movements, Jalen Green always had to tools to become an elite defender. However, the issue was with his willingness to do so. As an explosive athlete, the yearning to score often led to some reckless decision-making. But this season, with a strong leader in Udoka at the helm and a complementing roster, there is an aim that the dazzling guard is chasing.
In eight games thus far, Green is leading the Rockets with 22.6 points per game. His dedication in the offseason is also evident in his stark shooting improvement. Until now, the Rockets guard had yet to find any consistency with his three-point shooting. But this year, he is shooting nearly 39% on close to 10 attempts per game, a revolutionary improvement from last season’s 33%.
However, the most noticeable improvement of his has come through his defensive utility. Currently, Jalen Green is recording a 109.7 defensive rating, the best of his career. Furthermore, in the system of heavy switching, he has honed the art of being a point-of-attack defender. In 34 possessions of defending the ball handler, the 22-year-old is only allowing 0.71 points per possession.
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The tenacity ranks for the 75.6 percentile in the entire NBA. His activity has also propelled the Rockets to have a daunting defensive unit with the likes of VanVleet and Dillion Brooks utilizing their experience to limit their opposition to just 106.8 points, the third least in the NBA.
It takes one spark to inspire improvement. And for Jalen Green, a family is pushing him to attain his ceiling and help Houston become great again. Do you think he can be a candidate for MIP this season? Let us know your views in the comments below.