The No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft has always been looked at differently, living in another’s shadow. This year, the Houston Rockets’ Jalen Green is pulling no punches and is set to take the Rookie of the Year award home.
There’s no doubt about it; the 2021 NBA Draft was stacked with talent, and ran deeper than most, with early Rookie of the Year betting placing the No. 16 overall pick, Alperen Şengün, with the fifth-best odds. It should be clear at this point that going first in the NBA Draft does not a Rookie of the Year make.
Jalen Green stands 6-foot-6, is listed at 178 lbs, and is an all-around threat when he steps on the court. Opting to circumvent the collegiate route, Green made his way to the NBA G-League Ignite, joining forces with Jonathan Kuminga to test his skill set against the talent the G-League had to offer.
Amidst some, albeit baseless, speculation that Green may have been able to move up a spot and be taken first overall by Detroit, the Pistons selected Cade Cunningham, leaving the Houston Rockets no choice but to take Green at No. 2.
After the dust had settled in Barclays Center, and all the general managers had closed their books, cleaned their whiteboards, and made their phone calls, it was finally possible to look over the night’s picks. Cade Cunningham in Detroit, the Cavaliers taking Evan Mobley at No. 3, Scottie Barnes leapfrogging expected draft order to be taken fourth by Toronto, and Jalen Suggs to Orlando with the fifth pick. Josh Giddey to OKC, Kuminga to the Warriors, and Wagner to the Magic.
So, amongst 60 picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, not to mention the players that just missed the cut, what is it about Jalen Green that has him ready to secure this year’s Rookie of the Year award?