The same could be asked about Jalen Green surpassing not just James Harden but also other former Rockets greats such as Hakeem Olajuwon,Ralph Sampson,Hakeem Olajuwon,and Yao Ming. It’s just James Harden’s tenure in Houston far exceeded my expectations. You could make the argument he was one of the top 5 players in the NBA or at least performed like one in Houston so could Jalen Green someday reach that level? I believe he could, he certainly talks like someone who is confident in his abilities and yes I do see him winning league MVP someday. Why? This kid is unlike anything I’ve ever seen with my own two eyes, I’ve watched tons of film on him and I can’t find any wing in the league at this moment which possesses his combination of length,handles,wingspan, and shooting stroke in the league right now.
It’s like he is a hybrid of Kyrie Irving and Tracy McGrady because he has an array of dribble moves and seems to be have the ball on a string at all times. James Harden does not have the versatility Jalen Green has as a scorer at the moment Jalen’s weight hovers around 180 to 190 pounds but he is still taking opposing guards in the post and driving the ball to the rim with absolutely no fear of contact finishing over the top of defenders with easy. He won’t be dunking through traffic in the NBA like he did in high-school but right now there isn’t a player on the Houston Rockets roster who can score better than Jalen. And yes I am aware of Kevin Porter Jr’s 50 point performance this past season and the fact that Christian Wood is a walking 20 and 10, we also can’t forget John Wall.
Playoffs are likely a stretch for the Houston Rockets for this coming season although I will admit I won’t be shocked if they manage to get a lower seed because I can’t look past just how much of a nightmare it will be for defenses to guard Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr at the top of the arc. They can both pick you apart and have unlimited range throw on top the fact that Christian Wood is a solid floor spacing 4 who won’t take away touches from Porter Jr and Green next season. I don’t want to mention much of John Wall because he is not in the Rockets’s future plans and likely receives a buy-out or maybe he fetches interest from a team feeling Wall could be the difference, even though John Wall has lost his footing as one of the top players in the NBA he can still get you 10-20 points a night and play some solid defense.
Back to Jalen Green I’ve got to tell you I never saw the Houston Rockets rebounding this quickly, I thought it would be a 3-4 year process but it won’t take that long. The Rockets picked up Kevin Porter Jr after the Cavaliers gave up on him due to his off the court issues and their gamble will pay off going into next season, Jalen Green looks like the best shooting guard in the game 4-5 years from now when Harden,Beal,Klay,and DeRozan’s careers wind down. I left off Devin Booker since he is now just hitting his prime but 5 years from now Jalen will likely be an all-star at least once by the year 2026 and be averaging 25-30 points per game. He won’t be known to be a play-maker but will be an elite-scorer and possible elite defender which reminds me of former legend Kobe Bryant.
To conclude what separated Kobe Bryant from Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady was Kobe’s unmatched work ethic and desire to be the best he could be and that is no slight towards McGrady and Carter whom I am sure worked very hard they just never had that chip on their shoulders like Kobe. They say talk is cheap and Jalen sure has been talking the talk dating back to draft night, soon he will have to walk the walk and I see myself reminiscing to when Adam Silver announced the Houston Rockets were drafting Jalen Green 10 years from now if I am fortunate to witness what Jalen is ready to display which will be showtime. My gut instinct has never failed me, believe me when I tell you this kid will be mentioned with Kobe and Mike someday.
D-NBA 