Tag: McNeese State University

Jalen Green finding rhythm as his second Rockets season begins

Jalen Green on his start to #Rockets training camp: “I feel like I’ve learned a lot more over the summer and worked a lot on my game to progress and stack days coming into the season.”

LAKE CHARLES, La. – With both knees iced after a rigorous second day of Rockets training camp, shooting guard Jalen Green stood on the sidelines waiting on his cue from a member of Houston’s communications staff to let him know it was time to interview.

During that brief wait, the McNeese State University men’s basketball team was taking the floor, warming up for practice.

As the second-year prospect watched players take some shots, you could hear him speaking to himself as he observed players that he might have competed against, had he opted to play college basketball.

“That’s flat,” Green said to himself. “Gotta get up more on that jump shot.”

Green, 20, probably was repeating something he heard during the numerous hours of shooting drills done with assistant coach John Lucas after practice. He is so dialed in to taking his game to another level and making Houston successful that he marvels at the opportunity given him at such a young age.

“Carry my team to more wins than last year, and hopefully be an All-Star,” said Green during Rockets media day about some of his personal goals he wants to achieve this year.

As he spoke to the media on Tuesday, Green had the same energy and enthusiasm from last season that landed him a spot on the 2021 All-Rookie first team.

“I feel great,” Green told reporters. “I’m ready to start the season. I’m excited to get back. I feel like I’ve learned a lot more over the summer and worked a lot on my game to progress and stack days coming into the season.”

“Just getting the rhythm and finding what is going to work and not going to work within the starting five,” Green said. “From the first day (training camp) we didn’t play so much, to today we were playing a lot more and we just found rhythm.”

Much has been made about how Green, who was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, changed after last season’s All-Star break. He elevated his game, averaging 26.1 points per game while shooting 41% from 3-point range in his last 10 games of the season.

He also scored 25 or more points in seven of those games, including a season-high 41-points versus Atlanta to close the season.

Green attributes some of his second-half success to backcourt mate Kevin Porter Jr., who also elevated his game during the final seven-game of the season. The tandem gave the Rockets fans and coaching staff a glimpse of what they could potentially become in the future. Yet, Green doesn’t feel the need to rush the process.

“I wouldn’t say that it is a sense of urgency,” Green said when asked about picking up where they left off. “We all want everyone to win on the team and we want everyone to be comfortable and happy. We feed off of each other’s energy, too, so it just makes it a lot easier.”

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Green and the rest of the Rockets have one more day of training camp before heading back to Houston for their first preseason practice on Saturday and a game on Sunday against San Antonio.

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As training camp begins, Rockets look to set tone, establish culture

Stephen Silas said Day 1 of #Rockets training camp was the best he’s seen during all his years in the NBA. What did it entail? “Setting a tone, establishing a culture, and a lot of teaching.”

LAKE CHARLES, La. – One look at the majority of players on the Legacy Center court at McNeese State University, and you might believe they were in their junior or senior years of college and preparing for the upcoming season of NCAA basketball.

Yet, these young men were not preparing for battle in the Southland Conference; they were preparing for their first preseason game on Sunday versus the San Antonio Spurs.

The Houston Rockets, who have 10 players on their roster who are 22 years old or younger, held their first day of training camp in Lake Charles. According to head coach Stephen Silas, it was a very successful day.

“I’ve been around a lot of Day 1s in my 20-whatever year career, and this is the best one I’ve ever seen,” Silas said in a team huddle.

Silas, who is entering his third year as the Rockets’ head coach, was also impressed with how his team responded to him and his staff regarding different aspects of practice.

“Setting a tone, establishing a culture, and a lot of teaching,” Silas said when asked about the first day of camp. “It was about having a great first day and having that lead to a great second day. It is going to be a day-by-day thing for us, and we finished Day 1.”

Rookie guard TyTy Washington was happy to get on the court with the players he will compete with this season after playing in the NBA summer league in Las Vegas just two months ago.

“It was good, I liked it,” Washington told reporters. “It is a dream come true for me. It is our first real practice. I am really excited to be with the whole team, grinding and going out there competing. After we broke practice down and finished our conditioning test, I was like ‘It is about that time.’”

Washington also emphasized how playing against rookies and veterans this summer helped him prepare for his first day of camp.

“It helped a whole bunch,” Washington said. “Summer league built my confidence going through the whole process and leading up to this point. I feel really comfortable where I am at and how I am doing.”

The Rockets will practice again on Wednesday in Lake Charles.

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