Jalen Green has big goals for NBA career: Rookie of the Year, All-Star, All-Defense

Filipino-American Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall selection of the Houston Rockets in the 2021 NBA Draft, has big aspirations in the NBA.

His Rockets are in the middle of a rebuild right now, but Green believes he can be a major piece in what they are doing.

“I think I can bring that dog mentality, that defensive mindset and an exciting part, at the same time. They already got a lot of star players, a lot of excitement on the team,” Green said in a post-draft interview on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

“I think they're just missing one more piece and I think I can fulfill that.”

When asked about his goals in the league, not just for his rookie year but for the next few after that, Green was not shy about aiming high for himself.

“Rookie of the Year, All-Star, All-Defense, max contract. We’re doing it big, so yeah.”

Green is committed to working hard to achieve all that, but he is also hoping his experience in the NBA G League Ignite program will be an advantage for him as he embarks on his NBA career.

“I learned so much, I think I grew up so much, I learned about myself, got a lot of knowledge on and off the court,” he said.

“Just terminologies, how to get through the highs and lows, watching film, breaking down film, footwork, a whole bunch of things. I could keep going with a list of how much we learned, but not even just on the court, like off the court, too lifestyle things. So it all worked out perfectly.”

—JMB, GMA News