The Houston Rockets have officially selected former G League shooting guard Jalen Green with the No. 2 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
The Rockets long expected Jalen Green to be awaiting them at No. 2, and he's there: They think he's going to be a star for them.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 30, 2021
Green ultimately elected to surpass the collegiate level en route to becoming a member of the NBA G League Ignite this past season, marking one of the first decisions of its kind. The 19-year-old notably joined swingman Jonathan Kuminga, who also made the leap to the professional ranks instead of attending college.
Despite being one of the best high school players in the country as a senior ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, the former McDonald's All-American in Jalen Green finished his high school playing career at Prolific Prep in Napa, CA and made his way to the G League to begin his professional tenure, leading to this big NBA moment.
A consensus five-star recruit out of high school, the 6-foot-6 two-guard was the best at his position in his recruiting class. ESPN even had him ranked as the No. 1 overall player for all high school seniors in 2020-21. It is also worth noting that Green is already a decorated basketball player before reaching the NBA, having won three gold medals representing the United States at the junior level while even being tabbed as the MVP of the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup.
In his lone season as a member of the NBA G League Ignite, Jalen Green averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals while playing an even 32 minutes across 15 outings.
It will be fascinating to see what pieces the Rockets give Green at the start of his NBA career. The Houston franchise has pinched pennies under owner Tilman Fertitta. After dealing James Harden and starting over, they know they need to make a commitment to Green as the No. 2 pick in a draft which featured four players above all others: Green, Jalen Suggs, Evan Mobley, and top pick Cade Cunningham.
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