Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green projects to have a strong chance to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award, and one media outlet recently predicted the second overall pick would take home that honor.
Green will enter the season as one of the favorites to win as he will likely have a large role for the rebuilding Rockets. He impressed in the Las Vegas Summer League after averaging 20.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and two assists, and looked to have little issue with the transition.
While Green isn’t the odds-on favorite for Rookie of the Year, the 19-year-old was selected by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report to win over Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and the rest of the class.
Green should have an easier time separating from defenders with his footwork off the dribble and superior quickness and explosion, which should translate to more easy baskets off of drives and transition. … Production-wise (points per game), Green and Cunningham figure to finish in a similar ballpark, but Green could have the efficiency edge with more athletic traits for creating cleaner separation and finishes.
Green and Cunningham could be the top two first-year players this year and they will likely battle it out all season long for the Rookie of the Year award. Of course, others, such as Jalen Suggs and Evan Mobley, could also be in the mix when it is all said and done.
The Rookie of the Year award has been decided in convincing fashion in recent memory but the incoming group looks to make for a competitive race this year that should be highly entertaining.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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