‘Sky is the limit’: Rafael Stone, Stephen Silas celebrate Jalen Green for All-Rookie First Team
In a new video from the Houston Rockets celebrating Jalen Green’s All-Rookie First Team honor, general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Stephen Silas shared their perspectives on why he’s special.
Green averaged 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists for the Rockets this year, and the 6-foot-6 guard got progressively better as the 2021-22 season moved along. To finish his rookie campaign in March and April, when Green won Western Conference Rookie of the Month, the 20-year-old averaged 22.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 48.4% overall and 39.5% on 3-pointers.
Green scored 20-plus points in 15 of those 22 games, including a historic streak of five straight 30-plus point games from March 28 through April 5. That was the second-longest streak by a rookie since 1971-72. He scored a career-high 41 points in the season finale versus Atlanta.
For the season, Green ranked second in rookie scoring and was 0.14 points per game shy of the lead. Green hit 157 3-pointers, tied for the fourth-most through the first 67 games by any player in NBA history.
While Green’s physical attributes and statistics are clearly impressive, Stone and Silas sound equally impressed by his mental approach. Read on for their perspectives on Green’s rookie season in Houston.
Rafael Stone on Jalen Green’s work ethic
Stone: Jalen works. That was his reputation coming into the draft. It all starts with his work ethic.
Stephen Silas on Jalen Green’s immediate impact
Silas: Jalen’s immediate impact was with energy, athleticism, and quickness. Then, seeing the fruits of his labor and seeing it pay off. For a 19-year-old to come in with that work ethic, the sky’s the limit.
Rafael Stone and Stephen Silas on Jalen Green’s talent
Stone: Not many people have the capacity, just physically, to do what he can do. … Jalen is able to get to the rim and then explode once he gets there, over and over and over again. In a half-court setting, that doesn’t happen in the NBA.
Silas: His freaky athleticism is unexplainable. He’s quick twitch, (with a) lightning-quick first step. It’s throwing a lob in transition and knowing that he’ll catch it, regardless of where it is.
Rafael Stone and Stephen Silas on Jalen Green’s growth
Silas: He can do a little bit of everything. He can shoot the 3, he can get to the rim, he can shoot the mid-range. His defense has come such a long way. He’s in the top of the league, as far as defending isolations.
Stone: In the second half of the season, as he’s really settled in, you’ve seen this dynamic player who is a very good one-on-one defender. He’s a good help-side defender, and cracks back for rebounds… and he’s dynamic in transition and is one of our go-to guys, offensively. I think the league is on notice.
Silas: In a short period of time, from the time he turned from 19 (years old) to 20… imagine what it’ll look like from 20 to 23.
Rafael Stone on Jalen Green’s leadership
Stone: I think the sky is the limit to where we can go with him, as really our core element. He’s playing great basketball for us. What a great leader he has the potential to become.
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