There will be a ton of eyes on some of the top rookies selected in the most recent NBA draft as training camp gets ready to begin. It's a list that is topped by Detroit Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham, and the No. 2 overall pick by the Houston Rockets in Jalen Green.
Unfortunately, the pair will only matchup twice a a year since they play in separate conferences. That hasn't stopped the Rockets rookie, Green, from speaking about his motivations entering the year.
#Rockets rookie Jalen Green on his presumed ROY battle with Cade Cunningham:
"The fact that I didn’t go No. 1, there’s some motivation."
— Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) September 27, 2021
Green seems to be legitimate when bringing this up as it's not the first time he's mentioned having some sort of chip on his shoulder after the Pistons passed on him for Cunningham.
Entering the draft, Cunningham seemed like the clear-cut, consensus No. 1 overall pick by many and it ended up playing out that way. Green was taken next by the Rockets.
It's hard to predict if this could turn into a rivalry of sorts considering the lack of times they will meet in the regular season. Everyone is sure to be keeping tabs on individual comparisons between Cunningham and Green despite that.
The Rockets are looking to rebuild after trading James Harden last year. They started that process by drafting Green in the hopes that he will become a franchise pillar and a superstar for the organization.
One thing that's already been clear is that Jalen Green isn't afraid to speak his mind. He plays with that same type of fearlessness on the floor as well, which has already made Rockets fans giddy.
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