Move over, James Harden. There's a new star for the Houston Rockets, and he's here to make fans forget about “The Beard”.
Rockets rookie Jalen Green came into the league with the expectation that he'll be a top-level scorer. After a rough start to the season, Green flashed his scoring potential for everyone to see. Green exploded in the Rockets' 97 – 107 home loss to the Boston Celtics, going off for 30 points on an outstanding 8 for 10 shooting from deep.
After the game, StatMuse noted this insane fact about Green's performance.
Green's 30-point, 8-threes statline is the first time a Rockets rookie posted this kind of performance in his first year. It speaks volumes to Green's scoring acumen that he's able to launch ten threes and make 80% of them. If nothing else, it's a great indicator of Green's ceiling, and something that Rockets fans should be excited about.
Green's path to the NBA is a unique case. He was considered a top-2 pick in his draft class, but he chose to forego his final year in college to play for the NBA G-League Ignite Team alongside Jonathan Kuminga. There, Green proved that his three-level scoring potential was for real, and the Rockets wasted no time drafting him second overall when the Detroit Pistons took Cade Cunningham.
It's going to a be a long season for the Rockets. This is Year 2 of their rebuilding project, and it's going to take a while for them to get back to the James Harden era. One thing is for sure, though: they've already got a red-hot scorer in the making to replace Harden in Jalen Green. The future is bright for this guy, and he'll likely usher in the next successful Rockets run.