One NBA scout seems very high on Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green. The scout thinks the youngster could end up reaching the level Victor Oladipo was at during his time with the Indiana Pacers.
Oladipo made back-to-back All-Star teams during his time in Indiana, and he averaged 23.1 points per game during the 2017-18 season. Green, who had a solid rookie season, has a chance to be a franchise cornerstone in Houston.
“I think Jalen has excellent potential,” the scout told NBA Analysis Network’s Kenneth Teape. “He’s already really solid attacking off the catch and impressed me as an iso guy early. Liked how he was attacking out of DHOs in the two-man game with [Jae’Sean] Tate, too. … His burst makes him an incredible option with great spacing and a playmaker in the frontcourt. Early in his career, he could be at the level Oladipo was at pre-injury when he broke out with the Pacers. Lots of explosive scoring potential.”
Green appeared in 67 games during his rookie season. He averaged 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Houston is a rebuilding team, but it has to be encouraged by how Green finished the 2021-22 season. Over the final two months of the campaign (March and April), Green appeared in 22 games and averaged 22.6 points per contest while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from 3-point range.
Rockets fans should be excited by that jump, especially in Green’s efficiency, as he seemingly got more comfortable with the NBA game.
The other bright side for Green is he should have plenty of time to develop with Houston’s roster full of young players.
The Rockets may not contend for a playoff spot this coming season, but the development of Green, Jabari Smith Jr. (the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft), Alperen Sengun, TyTy Washington, Kevin Porter Jr. and others will be crucial.
If the scout’s projection is right and Green reaches Oladipo’s peak level of play, he should be an All-Star multiple times in his NBA career.
