“He actually gets sick when he doesn’t work out” - NBA trainer believes Rockets star has killer work ethic, says he’s clear on his role and is ready for an impactful year
The 2022-23 NBA season is fast approaching and the Houston Rockets' Jalen Green is ready for a grander year. Entering his sophomore season, Green is expected to play a bigger role for the team.
Jalen Green is one of the best young high-flyers in today's league. His dunks and highlights were a reason why there were players eager to watch the Rockets play. Of course, Green isn't just a dunker, he's also a capable scorer from all over the floor. His speed and shiftiness have given him a ton of chances to be a threat on the floor.
It wasn't all smooth sailing for Green's rookie year last season, however. There were games where he struggled to be a consistent help on the offensive side. The former second overall pick struggled to be a threat from the perimeter and shot poorly early on. Luckily for Green, he was able to address his issues and take better shots. He ended his rookie campaign shooting 34% from downtown.
Another aspect of Green's game was his uncontrolled athleticism. There were games where he just forced his way inside the paint and wasn't able to finish the play. One example of this kind of play was when LeBron James of the LA Lakers waited for Green on the attack and drew an offensive foul.
Despite this, Green was still able to put up incredible numbers during his first year as an NBA player. According to his trainer, Mike Hill, Jalen Green has been working extremely hard during the offseason. It has even reached a point of being compared to the late Kobe Bryant's work ethic. Hill also said that the young Rockets star gets sick when he doesn't get a chance to work on his game.
"He actually gets sick when he doesn’t work out," Hill said on The Athletic.
Jalen Green’s work ethic has been compared to that of the late Kobe Bryant.
Where does that passion for the game come from?
Exclusive with Mike Hill, Green’s trainer, from @KellyIko:
theathletic.com/3639612/2022/0… https://t.co/PGaENsqbDu
Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. might be the next best NBA duo
In the NBA today, there are a ton of big threes that are being formed. Whether it grew organically or was built by management, a trio of stars has probably been a trend in the NBA for the past few years. Interestingly, teams relying on dynamic duos are slowly making a comeback in today's league.
Headlined by the LA Clippers' Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the iconic duo are seen as cheaper and easier to build for teams. Following up closely behind, the duo are who are both freakishly athletic: Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.
On the offensive end, it’s playing with pace and playing within the flow of the offense, but also being aggressive, continued Hill as he went into depth on Green's offensive growth. "Picking your spots wisely, reading the game instead of just playing the game. Like if you just missed two (shots), get to the rim. There are lots of drive and kick opportunities, which he was very underrated in last year. But with the ball in his hands more this year, you’ll see that he’s a very underrated passer. Playing with your eyes up and making plays. Falling in love with plays.
In the previous year, both players played decently. They were mainly the reason people tuned in into Rockets games. One issue they have to address is that both players should stop relying solely on their athleticism. They are capable scorers and they just need to take smarter shots. Big things are expected ahead of these players, and they might be the next stars to lead Houston back to relevancy.
The Houston Rockets are set to start their preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 3rd.