Jalen Green Believes Houston Rockets Need to Win for All-Star Bid

The Houston Rockets might have a first-time All-Star on their roster in Jalen Green, but it will be a team effort.

With the additions of Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and Dillon Brooks this offseason, it's clear to any observer that the Houston Rockets belong to Jalen Green. In a recent interview with Shams Charania, Green got candid about the criticisms surrounding his game but expressed that he can overcome them. 

Green believes that he can and will be an All-Star this season. When Charania asked if Green feels like he is an All-Star, he didn’t think before responding, “Yeah, I do feel that way. Feels like it’s going to happen, but I just think, at the end of the day…if you win, everything will take care of itself.”

Asking a team that has lost 122 games since Green arrived to win appears to be a tall order, but it seems like everything is starting to fall into place. Ime Udoka is leading a culture shift in Houston that is eliminating me-first offense, and Brooks’ arrival has meant the end of jittery and lackluster defense.

Green showcases his explosiveness in preseason.  / Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Charania suggested that Green will follow in the footsteps of other players who broke out in their third season. 

Namely, Anthony Edwards, Bradley Beal, and Zach LaVine. Edwards was an All-Star in his third season and established himself as a top-20 player in the league. 

However, after year three, LaVine tore his ACL and missed much of the season, and Beal actually regressed after his second season. Hopefully, Green takes the Edwards route.

Green is right about one thing: to make the All-Star team, he must win. If the Rockets continue their losing ways, Green won’t be able to shed the label of a pure- albeit inefficient–scorer on a bad team. 

If the Rockets have a breakout season, Green will get his flowers as an integral part of the lineup, and if they can cobble together at least 32 wins, Green should be a big part of the NBA’s long weekend.