When former Houston Rockets center Christian Wood was suspended in January 2022 for refusing to check into a game, reporting at the time suggested his teammates disapproved.
“At least one other of the team’s young players challenged Wood, telling him that as a veteran, Wood should be setting a standard,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski wrote.
Buy Rockets TicketsNow, 21 months later, it’s becoming clear who that young player was. From ESPN’s Zach Lowe, in a new feature on Jalen Green:
“You’re supposed to lead by example,” Jalen Green, then a 19-year-old rookie and No. 2 overall draft pick, chastised one of the few veterans on the team — a player Green and others present won’t identify today. Other players and coaches had noticed that veteran playing with a halfhearted selfishness. Only Green spoke up.
“We need you to be better,” Green continued. “You’re supposed to show us how to do this.”
Considering the small number of veterans on that 2021-22 team, the odds strongly suggest Lowe’s anecdote is in reference to Wood’s actions in that Denver game on Jan. 1, 2022.
Wood was traded from the Rockets to Dallas after the 2021-22 season, and he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.
New column: Why Jalen Green is my most intriguing player for the upcoming season — what he means to the Rockets, and what the franchise has going after 3 losing seasons:https://t.co/0mE7juhc00
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) October 5, 2023
