Jalen Green’s debut NBA season began with typical rookie struggles and ended with historic scoring brilliance, and that second-half surge allowed him to finish on the 2021-22 All-Rookie First Team.
So, what changed, relative to his slow start? A newly released Houston Rockets documentary, which includes behind-the-scenes footage from the 2021 NBA draft (when Green was picked at No. 2 overall in the first round) and throughout his rookie season, might have some answers.
“From the beginning of the season until now, (the game) has slowed down a lot,” Green surmised. “I just see reads faster.”
One key variable appears to be the 14-game stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas that Green missed due to a hamstring injury, which allowed the then 19-year-old to watch games from the sideline.
“It was hard, sitting down and not playing,” Green said in the film. “Especially because my team was on a (seven-game) winning streak, and I wanted to be a part of that. But I was happy for my guys.”
“I feel like mentally, it helped me, because I got to understand the game from the sidelines,” Green said on “Clear the Runway.” “I got to see what’s open, and see how people get into things. It was like studying a game book. I feel like it helped me out a lot more than it hurt me.”
Once he returned, Green also credited a tactical shift.
“I started shooting the mid-range,” said Green, who turned 20 years old earlier this year. “That’s going to open up my game a lot more.”
As for what’s next and his 2022 offseason, Green ends the film (which can be viewed in its entirety below) by pointing to his work ethic.
“I’m always going to step on the floor with a chip on my shoulder,” Green concludes on the 21-minute documentary. “Just stay in the gym, and get stronger and healthier, and try to take my game to another level.”
