Jalen Green only worked out for two teams, the Pistons and Rockets, leading up to the 2021 NBA draft and was hoping to be the first prospect off the board on July 29. However, while he sought the honor of being the No. 1 pick, Green wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea of beginning his NBA career in Michigan, he tells Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
“I wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but as for the location, I didn’t want to be in Detroit,” Green said. “I felt a lot more comfortable in Houston. It felt like a real homey environment.
“With Detroit, it felt like I was just going back to the G League bubble, and I just got out of the bubble. That’s pretty much what it was,” continued Green, who played for the G League Ignite at Walt Disney World last winter. “In the bubble, I didn’t really have anything to do but just stay in the gym. I didn’t have any time to get away for myself. The only time I had to get away for myself was in my apartment. That’s what it felt like in Detroit. I wouldn’t be stepping outside in Detroit. There are not many things you can do in Detroit like that. You’re going to stay in the gym and then go back to your apartment.”
Green, of course, was drafted by the Rockets with the No. 2 pick after the Pistons used the first overall selection to nab Cade Cunningham. If Green had been the Pistons’ pick, it’s probably safe to assume his comments to Haynes about Detroit would sound a little different.
By contrast, Cunningham had nothing but praise for the city of Detroit following his pre-draft visit with the Pistons, telling reporters that he appreciated Michiganders’ “underdog, go-get-what-you-want” mentality.
Green, clearly not concerned about endearing himself to Pistons fans, is out to prove the team made a mistake by passing on him. As Haynes relays, the Rockets rookie is looking to beat out Cunningham and the rest of the 2021 draft class to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award in 2021/22.
“I need it. I feel like I’m the best player in the class,” Green told Yahoo Sports. “I didn’t go No. 1, so I’m going to go get the Rookie of the Year.”
A real homie environment?
“Homey” makes more sense in context, but “homie” was how Haynes transcribed it, so I didn’t want to change it.
Aaaaand now Haynes’ story has been updated to “homey,” so ours has too!
i like michganier more.
The girls at Club Onyx are going to pay off their “tuition” and then some off of this guy. Not in love with some of the things I’ve heard him say in interviews. Plus he reminds me of Goldie from “The Mack”. I wonder if he and KP Jr can coexist? Who’ll be the first to hire a personal hair stylist for road games?
CC has the more premium skill set, but their respective statements since the draft make out an even better reason to have went with CC over JG. One comes off as a natural leader, the other a self-absorbed punk, and that will likely survive long after people forget who won the ROY award.
Let’s not refer to him as a punk. he might be a good person at his core.
One of the greatest sports cities out there. The city of Detroit idolizes their sports heroes. While the weather can be a bit much in Michigan at times you can tell he is just a kid who is prone to sticking his foot in his mouth. Starting to see a lack of maturity and I know he is just a kid who is 19 and full of himself. This is bound to happen to a lot of these guys when they’re always been one of the best but now you’re in league full of guys who were the best of the best.
Also he is a rookie. He has no need for a life outside the gym and his apartment. Keep your nose down and grind. Lot of guys flame out that concern themselves with entertainment aspects instead of putting the time in.
Detroit, one of the greatest sports cities. Tell that to the Lions who have never even reached the Super Bowl and haven’t won a championship since 1957. And the Tigers aren’t exactly a great baseball team themselves. Jalen Green sees how the Rockets are in a far better position to build a dynasty around him than the Pistons would have been, he made the right choice.
“He made the right choice?” He never really had a choice, but this sounds more like sour grapes..
He’s stated over and over how he wanted to be the number one pick, and how Detroit will regret not picking him.
If he didn’t want to go to Detroit, then he wouldn’t have even worked out for them..Plain ajd simple
Your funny. The Oilers didn’t win anything until they left town. And what have the Texans done? Oh, the Pistons have more championship than the Rockets. The Tigers have more WS rings than the Astros. You ain’t got much in the way of bragging rights.
@greenwood
Just because a city doesn’t have recent history of championships doesn’t determine whether they are a good or bad sports city.
You have a QB that likes to channel his Robert Kraft everytime he needs to be touched.
Don’t talk about other cities sport’s history lmao.
“He made the right choice”
????? He got drafted? Not like he was a free agent there chief.
Bro, Detroit is trash. It’s better than Cleveland but trash nonetheless. Nobody young black and rich wats to live there, period.
What does color have to do with it? You do realize that Detroit and Cleveland have much larger populations of African Americans than most right? What determines a great place for Blacks? Weather and number of strip clubs? PS… I’m Black and can say that… Haha
Important to check because of how often this happens: Have you ever actually been to Detroit? Or Cleveland? Recently?
Exactly!
Lol. A real “homie environment”.
I’m a lifetime Michigander and I can tell you from personal experiences there is PLENTY of everything to do here and in/around Detroit. In all honesty we didn’t want Jalen Green here either as Cade Cunningham is the far superior ball player and we did not want to settle for second best!
Yeah it always sucks hearing someone talk smack about your city when they either haven’t even stepped foot in it, or in this case have only been to one workout for probably only one day. Trust me I get what you are saying…
As someone born and raised in Philadelphia, I cosign this.
As someone from near Cleveland, I also co-sign this.
It won’t take long for Pistons fans to realize their team made a mistake.
Loyalty is a noble quality, so long as it is not blind and does not exclude the higher loyalty to truth and decency – Basil Liddell Hart
GreenWood, I appreciate your Rockets fandom. But c’mon man. You don’t have to tear down others to prop us up. We won’t know for YEARS on who made a “mistake.” There’s a good chance neither team will feel there was a mistake made. A lot of people trash Houston blindly and having the Astros gives us a bullseye on our backs. Don’t troll and give others the chance to bash us.
Greenwood’s bad takes makes the rest of us look bad.
It’s all about Texas having more lax Covid laws than Michigan. Of course Texas is also right up there with Florida in terms of current Covid problems. So maybe once he gets puts on the shelf with either testing positive or having close contacts, he might have a change of heart. I am very tempted to talk about his lack of education here, but I’ll just lets sleeping dogs lie.
Too late. You’ve unleashed the COVID hounds. The discussion is about to go sideways.
I’m sure Cade got a real education that one year at Oklahoma State, right?
Or LeBron James did when he went to college, which was where exactly?
LeBron didn’t need to go to college…By the way, LeBron is well known for sending a lot of underprivileged kids to college. Full ride scholarships.
@Howie
he was being sarcastic.
Just as an aside: KFCF, you are a class act and a model citizen of the comment section. It’s a thankless job, but we thank you.
Thank you sir
The kid is 19 years old. He should just be hanging out in his apartment and going to practice. Not going to bars and clubs. He’s got to wait a couple years like all of us had to.
That’s a nice way of calling Detroit trash man.
Green can say what he wants. Green wasn’t the top pick cause he wasn’t the top player. Must sting for him being number 2.. Detroit is better with Cade than with Green anyways!!
As a Cleveland fan, I totally get why people from Detroit hate when people talk down on their city. Most places have their own redeeming qualities once you actually take the time to look.
I’m sure Jalen Green doesn’t care what people in Detroit think of him since he’s in Houston, but there’s nothing to gain by saying that. If he wants to make the Pistons regret passing on him, he needs to prove it on the court.
You are much more of a fan than most people. You guys have gone through more crap than a lot of cities. Props to you for staying true.
Much appreciated
@Michael
I worked for a record label based in NYC where I was born and raised. I was promoted to a field position in Ohio where we had a branch in Independence, OH. All my friends thought I was breing vanquished to the abyss rather than being given a great opportunity. I found beauty in the city of Cleveland and am appreciative of the decade plus I spent there. A good city with great people. Was amazingly happy for the city when they won the NBA chip. Would try mt absolute best to return if/ when the Browns when a Super Bowl.
A couple of days before the draft, Green literally said “I want to live in Detroit”. This kid is a tool.
hahaha that is a direct quote, too. Wow, have to agree. Kid is a tool. Here’s the quote source if anyone is interested:
link to gq.com
For those who don’t want to click:
““Number one pick,” he tells me, “that would be a dream come true. I ain’t going to lie. That happens, I’m going to have a breakdown,” he laughs. And, naturally, he has preference in mind. “I want to live in Detroit.” He feels that spot is important to his journey, a reward for his endurance. “
Clearly Green & Kuminga are the better players in this draft, big mistake by DET… but anyway who in their right mind would wanna live in DET when you can live in HOU, I mean seriously cut the kid some slack, right?
Green will own Cunningham as a matter of fact!
Isn’t Houston a swamp.
No, it’s not. It has many great qualities. Ppl like you that blindly knock a place, and more than likely you’ve never been, will say crap like this.
True, only people who don’t live in those cities defend them.
I mean I hesitate to give this any attention, but come on man. Don’t go dumping on other people’s cities. I’ve got people in both Detroit and Cleveland, and all of them love their city (and have a chip on their shoulder about it). And much as I want to talk smack about Houston just to get GreenWoodPorter’s goat, it’s the fourth largest city in the country, so you have to imagine it’s got some things going for it.
… That said, if we’re doing city roasts, why don’t you tell us yours so we can all return fire?
somebody roast me. i claim clinton iowa(born) and the quad cities but i live in albany ill.
Quad cities? Cmon man pick one.
Just trying to help.
Wouldn’t it be great if our nation’s captital was there, in one of them.
Clinton, Iowa: where the population has declined every year since 1970.
Heyooo! (The river looks nice though.)
lol! ty.
@El Don
What a little punk azz. You wanna play somewhere “homey” princess? There is a ton of stuff to do in downtown Detroit. Have you even been there sweetheart? Thank God the Pistons drafted CC and not third prima-Donna!
I got a feeling Green will be the best player in the draft.
Downtown Detroit gets such a bad rap. Im a 43 year old middle class white dude, and everytime I go downtown to bar hop, check out a Pistons, Wings, Lions or Tigers game I have a blast! Obviously the sweetheart ain’t ever been to D-Town so he don’t know Jack. Go to GreekTown or Motor City Casino, or Shilaleighs bar, or the Air Strip to all my gentleman’s club goers! Lol, and heads up Houston fans. Looks like all your boy is about is clubbing! At 19 shouldn’t you have your uppity azz at the gym then your apartment anyways? Make sure mama is right next door to help you out with that rat’s nest on your head too brah.
And don’t forget a night cap at Lafayette Coney Island, only the BEST coney’s in the world! For those who have never had the pleasure to experience one, it’s a hot dog smothered in chili and topped with onions. Layfayette is open 24×7 and is always packed. A true Detroit experience..
Ok, I’m here to defend Detroit too, but don’t lead with “I’m a white dude” and close by going after a Black man’s hair. Walk it back, guy.
“That’s what it felt like in Detroit. I wouldn’t be stepping outside in Detroit. There are not many things you can do in Detroit like that. You’re going to stay in the gym and then go back to your apartment.””
So… I’m more interested in partying than in working to improve my NBA skills…
Green butt hurt about not getting drafted by Detroit, Houston fans butt hurt about not drafting Cade. They should renamethe Rockets to” The Houston Butt Boys”. No wonderJlHardrn and Company ran out of there.
Keep talking Green up until he bokts for LA houston fans! Neverlost so much respect for a fanbase as Ihave forthe Rocket’s since this draft process.
He said the exact same thing before the draft people. It’s not like his opinion about Detroit and Houston changed at all because of which team drafted him.
This is just the media trying create controversy where none exists and obviously most of those here are just eating it up like a bunch of sheep/automatons.
Jalen Green is simply more comfortable in Houston instead of Detroit.
But somehow that makes him an immature jerk to everyone here because he’s just saying this after the Pistons took Cunningham instead of him. Not true. He said the exact same thing before the draft, so get over it.
No he didn’t he was quoted saying “I want to live in Detroit”. If he is so down on Detroit why evenmention them?? If he is im the place he wanted tobe. What is there more to talk about?? Houstons fans look really bad after this summer, got a superstar potentialplayerand can’t even be happy abouy it without crapping on anotherteam. And Jalen is proving my suspicion on him. He is a me first player, who lack manly fortitude at this young age from not having a father or man in his life consistently. He will bolt for the Lakers firat chance he gets! Be ready Houston.
@Green
He simply sounds like a teenager with a very limited scope of the world who lacks media training. Doesn’t make him the devil. But definitely needs to be careful what he says.
Am I the only one reallllly curious to see how Green and KP Jr wil coexist? They seem so similar to me in skill set and, albeit in a very cursory glance, maturity levels.
Detroit dodged a bullet there, able to pick Cunninghm instead… and Cleveland, Mobley.
Houston gets to add to its “fast rebuild” oddball collection. I guess we all win.