When it comes to former NBA players, 20-year-old Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green says he looked up to the late Kobe Bryant when it came to developing his game at a younger age.
Today, among current players, Green points to Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving — who had kind words about Green and backcourt mate Kevin Porter Jr. after a recent Rockets-Nets game — as someone he follows.
“Kyrie Irving communicated with me here and there since high school,” Green said. “He was making everything, stop and pop 3s, getting to the rim. He’s so wiggly, getting downhill. Everything you see on TV, highlights and stuff, was right there in front of me. It was crazy to see.”
Green made his comments during a recently released podcast with Bill Simmons, who had asked if there was a current player that particularly blew Green away during his rookie NBA season.
Like Irving, Green is a skilled guard with a lightning-quick first step, and Green hopes to further develop his handle and jump shot this summer.
The complete episode with Simmons and Green can be listened to below. After Houston’s 2021-22 regular season ended, Green identified Irving as one of two players (the other was San Antonio’s Dejounte Murray) that he hopes to work out with during the 2022 offseason.
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Jalen Green says he’s hoping to work out with Dejounte Murray and Kyrie Irving this offseason. #Rockets
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) April 11, 2022
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