Houston, Jalen Green Is Ready for Lift Off

The Rockets’ fashionable young star has spent nearly his entire life in the spotlight, working toward his dream of playing in the NBA. Now that he’s made it, can he perform when the lights are the brightest?

BY Melissa Yang

All eyes were on Jalen Green the night his dreams came true. As he walked down the catwalk that led to the podium where commissioner Adam Silver stood waiting to shake his hand and welcome him to the NBA, cameras flashed on the then-19-year-old, catching the light from his silver Balmain bellbottomed suit so it glittered. “I wanted to step out in a baggy, themed fit. I felt like I couldn’t miss with the ’70s style,”Green said. “It was a no-brainer to go with a ‘shiny’ suit since it was draft night.”

Moments after hearing his name called as the second overall pick in the 2021 Draft, Green sat next to his mother, Bree Purganan, for an interview. His long, bouncy brown curls were nestled underneath a brand-new accessory: a bright-red Houston Rockets cap. “It means a lot,” the Fresno, California, native said matter-of-factly when asked about the significance of the moment. “It means I have a lot of work todo. It means I need to lock in and focus on my craft and get that Rookie of the Year.”

Path to Becoming Pro

The 6-foot-4 guard’s ascent from young phenom to the NBA was well-documented by YouTube videos and viral highlight clips—he amassed over 1 million Instagram followers before ever touching the NBA Draft stage. After three years playing for San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno and becoming a local star, Green transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa to play against the best hoopers in the country. As a five-star recruit ranked number one in his high school class by ESPN, Green received offers from the top collegiate basketball programs in the country. Ultimately, he decided to forgo college.

In April of 2020, Green signed a one-year contract reportedly worth$500,000 with the G League Ignite, a developmental team owned and operated by the NBA, which offered elite high school prospects an alternative to college and a way to make money in a pre-NIL landscape. It was a decision he saw as the best way to prepare himself for his ultimate goal of reaching the NBA.

Green shouldered the pressure of both reaching for and achieving his dreams with ease. “I’ve always had high expectations and goals for myself,” he told us later. “As I entered the league, none of that changed.”

Purganan, asked about the source of her son’s swagger and the self-confidence he clearly possessed during that draft night interview, declined to take any credit. “That’s just how he was. He’s always been confident. Everything that he’s always wanted, he’s worked so hard to go after, and so this is the person that he’s become,” she said, beaming with pride.

On-Court and Fashion Confidence

Green’s trajectory, in basketball and in fashion, can be traced across the just over the posts on his Instagram feed, which he deactivated ahead of the 2025 playoffs. The very first video on Green’s page is a hoops highlight mix from high school, in 2017, where the beginnings of his shifty, explosive offensive game is on full display. In between the top and bottom of his profile page are a plethora of outfit photos, from one of a young Green wearing a striped HUF long-sleeve tee and ripped skinny jeans, standing against a wall in his childhood home, to one of him sitting front row at a runway show decked out in Louis Vuitton in Paris. “My swag stopped being terrible around high school,” he said. “I was definitely starting to wear better fits as I had more exposure to culture and brands. Once I turned pro in the G League, I had more resources as well, which helped.”

Green is as self-assured as it gets when it comes to getting dressed. “My confidence is always high with fashion,” Green said. “Just being able to wear different things has given me that. I have a wide range and use fashion as an outlet to express myself. It’s easy to dress when clothes are almost an extension of my inner self.” When he announced he was going to the G League route, Green started painting his nails black. “I don’t know what made me start painting them. It was more of an aesthetic thing. I just liked the way they looked and kept going,” he said.

As the tunnel fit has become a given, along with a stylist to make it happen, Green is an example of a player who is doing things differently: He dresses himself, sans stylist.

“My process for picking out an outfit is pretty last-minute. It just depends on my mood,” he said. “I just let my feelings dictate what I’m rocking. If I’m feeling cozy, I’ll dress cozy. If it’s a huge game, I might step out in something more upscale. I use the same process on the road, except I have to dress according to the weather. If I’m in Miami and it’s humid, I might step out in shorts.”

For Green, who signed a shoe deal with Adidas before his rookie season, fashion plays a huge role in who he is as a person and an athlete. “I feel like my confidence on the court and off the court go hand in hand,” saidGreen. “Fashion has helped me be myself on the court. It’s easy to play my best when I’m feeling my best.”

Playoffs and Beyond

Growing up in an era of basketball fueled by the constant praise and scrutiny of social media, Green learned early to tune out the noise by leaning on his support system and to fuel his confidence through the time he puts into his training. “I remain confident through my work ethic and circle,” he said. “I have people who really believe in me, and that’s a great feeling. I’ve always believed in myself as well. There’s been a lot of unseen hours of grinding.”

In the four seasons since Green stepped into the league, the now-23-year-old has quietly built a case for himself to be in conversation with the NBA’s best. Each year, Green has improved his game on both sides of the ball, with the Rockets’ record reflecting that. During the 2024–’25 regular season, Green averaged a team high of 21 points per game, leading the Rockets into the playoffs as the second-best team in the Western Conference. “I’m looking forward to competing with my teammates on the biggest stage,” Green said ahead of his first NBA playoffs appearance. “We’ve been talking about and working for this moment for four years now. Our progress is a reminder of all the hard work we’ve put in.”

While he didn’t win Rookie of the Year and has yet to prove himself in the postseason, his confidence and determination aren’t wavering. “The game has slowed down for me. When I first entered the league, it felt fast and I was rushing to make decisions on the court. I’m able to read defenses better now, make the right reads and let the game come to me,”he said. “That just comes with experience, something I’m still learning throughout my career.”

In today’s hot-take, good-or-bad culture, players are either winners or busts. But Green doesn’t think that way. “I always kept sight on my goals, even during my slumps or rookie learning periods,” he said. “I just kept my vision on getting better every day.”