Earlier this year, longtime NBA media member Bill Simmons found himself suddenly in the spotlight for harsh and profane comments directed at then-rookie Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets.
Now, is a sequel of sorts on the horizon? In a podcast discussion on Tuesday’s Locked on NBA show, Miami Heat host David Ramil — whose team played against Green and the Rockets in Monday’s exhibition — cast doubt on whether Green is a winning player.
The exchange, moderated by Matt Moore of The Action Network (@HPBasketball on Twitter), went as follows:
Moore: Do you think Jalen Green can evolve into being an impactful, winning type of player?
Ramil: I personally don’t. … He’s trending more towards that kind of explosive shooter that winds up coming off the bench. That’s not bad, you can have a long career.
Further elaboration is available in the complete podcast. Green scored 25 points in 28 minutes versus Miami in Monday’s game.
The remarks were immediately met with criticism from Rockets fans on Twitter and an apparent rebuttal by Green himself. Though Green did not specifically identify the media member or criticism in question, the timing made it clear what was being referenced.
The “trending” reference was especially odd, since Green finished his rookie season of 2021-22 on a historic (and efficient) scoring run, which led to him earning a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.
Scroll on for a look at the comments in question, along with apparent reaction from Green and others on social media.