IN HIS 67 games played during his rookie year with Houston, Jalen Green took the Rockets spotlight.
His sweet shooting, with a TS of 54.7 percent, led him to join Allen Iverson in the list of the league's outstanding rookies, running a streak of five consectutive 30-point games, and recorded a 41-pointer career-high against the Hawks.
The No. 2 Draft pick did not disappoint, triggering more excitement for his second season.
The 20-year-old was also the focal point of defense for the Rockets.
In his rookie season, he posted a defensive rating of 124.5 percent, and a defensive rebound percentage of 10 in 2021-22, higher than his offensrive rating of 104.5 percent.
Given the choice between both ends of the court, "Defense, for sure," replied Green, not thinking twice. He was in Manila last week for adidas' JG4 Manila Tour.
Jalen Green's early 'lockdown defender'? His mom
Green owes his defensive mindset to his mother, Bree Purganan, who traces her roots to Ilocos.
She was his early opponent in the game.
"I picked a ball up at a super young age. I used to go outside to play with my mom, she was a hooper, she used to be a lockdown defender," Green told SPIN.ph in a group media junket organized by adidas during his visit in Manila.
Purganan remembered those days, as well: "He would always be out at the driveway, we have this small court, and he would always either be playing with myself, or anybody he could pick up at the house. He was as young as four or five."
Purganan would school her son all the way to ninth grade, Green reckoned.
"She used to beat me, though. She beat me recently when I was growing up, going in high school," he said, chuckling.
Bree jokingly added, "He was out there shooting, he's always won even though he didn't... I liked defense so I was telling him, you gotta play defense. So, he's great, he's doing so good, I'm so proud of him."
Furthermore, Green's interest in defense was fueled by his background in football, which he played up until seventh grade, before he decided to focus on basketball after a collarbone injury.
He played the receiver position during his pigskin days.
"I would say some of the passes that he gets where he jumps super high reminds me of some of the football things that he did. I was like 'See? It came in handy, the football'," Purganan shared.
Green is only the third player of Filipino descent to make it to the NBA after Jordan Clarkson and Raymond Townsend. His great grandfather was from Ilocos Sur.
Coming into the Philippines, as an NBA player this time, Jalen couldn't be happier for the support of Filipinos.
"I can't get enough of it, like I said before, I just come out here, they give so much love, give me so so much attention and so many gifts, it's really a blessing," he said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph