Jalen Green doesn’t lack confidence when talking about his draft prospects. In an interview with Farbod Esnaashari of Bleacher Report, Green discusses his experiences with the G League Ignite, his decision to skip college basketball, and how he thinks he measures up against the rest of the 2021 draft class.
“I didn’t really start paying attention to it until after the (G League) bubble,” Green said. “I just felt like I should be No. 1 because I work harder than a lot of the dudes in my class. That’s the only reason. It’s not something that could have been or should have been; it’s just because I work harder.”
Green was a basketball pioneer along with Ignite teammates Jonathan Kuminga, Isaiah Todd, and Daishen Nix, who all sought an alternative to the traditional path to the NBA. They got to play alongside veterans such as Jarrett Jack and Bobby Brown while being coached by Brian Shaw.
During his time in the G League, Green was a dedicated student of game film. He paid particular attention to high-scoring guards Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine, whom he hopes to emulate, along with legends such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Green said Jack and Brown were especially helpful in offering tips about the pro game.
Green touches on several other subjects in the wide-ranging interview:
His advice to other high school stars who are considering the G League:
“I would say to, for sure, do it. If their goal is to get to the NBA and they’re one of the top kids in the country, I would say for sure. You’re going to pick up on things early, you’re going to be ahead of schedule, you’re just going to learn how to be an overall pro. This year was the first year (of the G League Ignite), so I’m sure the next years are going to get better and better.”
How the league prepared him for the NBA:
“I think it was overall a great experience. I learned a lot, I learned how to be a pro early. I was put in a pro setting. Improved my pro habits on and off the court. I feel I just got overall better. The young guys that were there got overall better too. It was just a great experience overall.”
What he learned by playing for Shaw:
“I think I learned a lot from B-Shaw. We were playing in the triangle offense, so that was an offense with a lot of vets put in. So that was cool learning that. I just got to pick his brain a lot about Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird and Shaq. We watched a lot of film. B-Shaw helped me a lot.”
The incentive that came with trying to be the top overall pick:
“For me, it’s like a motivation thing. Just because, at first I wasn’t even talked about going No. 1 because of the route I took. It was different, and I was off the map for a little bit. Even after the bubble, they still were talking about that. Just seeing that now is more motivation. I feel like that’s where I should have been. It’s a dream come true for sure; it does give me butterflies.”
I agree
Green has better potential than any of protected top 5 picks
He can think that all he wants, and he can work as hard as he wants, but he’s not better than Cunningham and won’t have a better NBA career than him, work or not.
I wonder if that’s some unintentional commentary from Green about Kuminga, Nix, and Todd’s work ethic. Especially since the only people in his class he has been around was them.
He might not even be the first Jalen taken in the draft, let alone go #1 overall.
If I’m Rockets and get #3 pick. I take Mobley and trade Wood. You can get value for Wood. Build around Mobley with talent closer to his age. Means full rebuild. With other picks and young guys you have. Celtics would love a guy like Wood. Thompson (mentor n play next to Mobley), #1 pick, Nesmith. Celtics pick is at #16. That’s two young talented players, around Mobley. Plus other picks Rockets have. Thompson has one yr left. I’d sign him for 10 mil- 3 yrs. He helps protect Mobley at PF, mentor him. A can play small ball 5.
I still think college is a better route if your a top prospect. More games in pressure moments.
Also from a financial perspective, it helps immensely in name recognition. Zion got a 100 mil shoe deal – no way he gets close to that going G League route. Even Cunningham really upped his profile. Idk if that g league salary is worth the sponsorships you can gain from being a top college player.
Depends on whether a young buck has the stomach for school and poverty for a year.
No way, he watches video of those guys? We can book him for a league MVP award today.
If he’s already watching and studying video of such great players, there is little anyone can do to stop him.
What makes Green more of a pioneer (or a pioneer at all) when compared to the alternate route that RJ Hampton took the year prior? It’s hard to argue he’s “blazing trails” when skipping college has been done before.
Skipping college to be part of the 1st ever g league team featuring draft hopefuls.
Guys skipping college to go play overseas didn’t play with or as frequently against NBA veterans.
To my knowledge Hampton didn’t play with any nba vets over in Australia.
Green played with Jack (12 years), johnson(14 years), Brown (4 years)
Skipping college AND learning from veterans who’ve been there at the nba level.
The ignite/GL/semipro path has not really been tested yet, so giving advise to do it is premature.
There should be more to it than being able to talk to vets. That would come anyway. But shoe deals?
Has he profited from his likeness?— He will eventually by being a high pick, but before that?— I think he does not have to share.
At least they get paid for the exploitation, unlike college “student-athletes”
Isn’t going to University 50 to $100,000 a year? I hear fathers crying all the time about that bill for out-of-state students. That’s more than I make per year so that’s nice compensation in my mind.
But many of them are there solely to play basketball and don’t care about the schooling. Or they’re there for one year and are gone. Meanwhile, the school is making way more than $50k a year off their labor.
Labor? Seriously? I don’t think you can call 18-21 year old guys playing basketball 3 times a week labor. And I doubt school make more than 50k a year off specific players. Sure each player is a piece of the team, but I will watch Kentucky play no matter who is wearing the jersey. I watched Kentucky in the early 2000s when were suiting up guys like Bobby Perry and Sheray Thomas and Saul Smith on a nightly basis. And I’m sure there are Duke and Michigan St. and North Carolina and Kansas fans that will say exactly the same thing.
For players, it should be considered a privilege to wear such iconic uniforms while being watched by thousands of rabid fans every game. And to be considered legends in their college towns years after they played their last game. Or if they don’t want to, then they can go wear the Ignite uniform and be watched by tens of people every game. And they might be considered legends in their city, but who even knows what city the Ignite play in.
‘I don’t think you can call 18-21 year old guys playing basketball 3 times a week labor.’
It’s literally the definition of labor. There is zero difference between what they’re doing and what the pros are doing. They’re working countless hours practicing and studying film.
‘For players, it should be considered a privilege to wear such iconic uniforms while being watched by thousands of rabid fans every game.’
This can be true and the fact that they should get paid can also be true. It’s not an excuse to not pay them.
Colleges make millions of sports. There is absolutely no argument for why the players should get excluded from that money. It’s labor exploitation, plain and simple. Just because you don’t consider playing basketball a job doesn’t make it any less of one.
@hiflew… I actually know what city does Ignite play out… but I don’t have the slightest clue where does Kentucky University play in!
Like every player is a superstar. Not all kids are moneymakers.
College is expensive – and getting it for free is great – but it’s not necessarily the right amount of compensation for any individual player. Some players would earn a lot more than that if they were paid based on their impact on team wins, tv ratings, etc. And many players would earn less.
But so long as the NCAA refuses to have the conversation about player contributions to revenue, it’s all academic. They’ll pocket as much as they can in the meantime, which is why I don’t watch the NCAA at all.
·THEY. DO. NOT. HAVE. MARKET. VALUE
individually, without sanctioning.
·Players do not give anything up. The tv deals are for the sanctioners.
·Fantasy values are useless. Monopoly money.
·Basketball players have ZERO skills that pay unless sanctioned by parties that can sell the tickets.
And nobody anti-ncaa has a plan dividing up the money that would survive more court challenges from have-nots. It’s an endless court battle fueled by bogus lefty arguments.
I have been sayin’ all year that Green/Kuminga should be the top 2 picks… they are way ahead of Cunningham, Mobley or Suggs… Green is just sooo right with what he says, comes across as you would expect more maturely than a kid that chose the college route, right?
He sounds like the sales pitch he went for. Including his talent, should be worth millions!
Kuminga is not better than Cunningham, Suggs and Mobley. Respectfully said, no way.
That is a matter of opinions, I would pick him before those 3, I know that Kuminga is a baller, the other 3 they have never really proven themselves as yet, so to me they are high risk picks, hence why Kuminga is my pick #1-2 in the draft, respectfully said, sir.
No HS kid is ready for the NBA. There are a lot of 1 yr good college players that never reach their potential. Just a fact some young bodies need more time. It’s up to franchises to maximize that talent. Look at Payne with Suns. He almost bombed out. The human body is not mature till after 21 and at its best after 24. Athletes who work and have that “ Mamba Mentality “. Have a chance to show way after they are drafted. We all get carried away with hype and Brons. Lukas of the world. When that is not the norm. This yr those top 5 picks all have high ceilings. I would think team needs will play a role in picking. Imo Jalen is best talent in this draft. Cade with his size is best all around talent. Where Green is a true SG, a 2. Cade can play 1-3. It’s going to be hard to pass on Cade. Of the top teams picking. I only see Detroit taking Green #1. All other 4 teams would take Cade. I like Green a lot. He’s got Kobe’s gm in him. He’s got that upside to be next great scorer, next highlight player. Especially if he works. All top 5 teams picking in this draft. Should be getting a future all star.
“Carried away with the hype”… like with the mamba talk, and a huge paragraph about youthiness going nowhere.
I get we’re on different plains. You just need to go away by now. Knowledge is not your forte. Simplest thing for a real athlete is getting help to become best you can be. Time table is not and shouldn’t be the outcome. Keep learning you’ll get there.
That’s your point? Athletes need help? Arguing against who? You just drift and post.
LJ needed help deciding NOT to go with “the king” as his handle. He lost lots of people by doing so, even in NEOhio. Nobody wanted a king.
LeBron?
No one watched G League games to see him play except scouts. Everyone else saw NCAA basketball. Just saying, maybe it does something for you in the eyes of scouts, but only basketball nerds like us know who this kid is.
@phillyballers… don’t think many people watches NCAA games, as a matter of fact the playin’ level is much higher in the G-League, unless that you are a fanatic of college hoops no one really cares ’bout it, right?
Cmon, the money made by people watching college BB is huge. So large it drives a wedge into something that would be needed (college) regardless of who the tv checks for “amateur” sports are made out to.
Pretty cool that Jarrett Jack is still playing. Always liked him.
Drafted by the Nuggets. Immediately traded. I wanted him to stay.
Yes loved him with the Warriors and allowed Curry to be off the ball when Jack came off the bench. Mark Jackson started him a few games when it counted just because he was so great. I remember him nailing those crucial mid-range jumpers that were so important. He was huge for Golden State when he was there. Then they couldn’t afford him anymore. Had to let him walk.
What?
Get migraines?