The Houston Rockets are one of the hottest teams in the league right now.
They’ve won their last eight games and nine of their last ten, and that’s despite not having their best player, Alperen Sengun, on the court.
Notably, Jalen Green has stepped up big time for Ime Udoka’s team.
For the first time in his career, the former No. 2 pick is finally looking like a star in the making, putting his team on his shoulders and averaging almost 30 points per game on efficient shooting splits.
That’s why NBA analyst Bill Simmons believes there could be some Kobe Bryant to his game.
In the latest edition of his podcast, he showered the former G-League standout with praise, lauding his shot-making ability and comparing him to a young, late-90s Kobe (via ClutchFans).
“Watching him the last couple of weeks, it’s like, man, if you were just drawing a two-guard from scratch, from a scoring standpoint, what kind of move or shot doesn’t he have?” Simmons said.
Bill Simmons says that watching Jalen Green in March, he's reminded of a young, late-90s Kobe Bryant.
"Watching him the last couple of weeks, it's like, man, if you were just drawing a two-guard from scratch, from a scoring standpoint, what kind of move or shot doesn't he have?" pic.twitter.com/4TBtrxxTMx
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 25, 2024
Needless to say, this could be a huge stretch.
Kobe was a late bloomer, so there’s a chance that Green is also one, but he’s nowhere near as polished as Bryant was, and he’s not in the same stratosphere when it comes to playing defense.
Then again, Green’s offensive skills have always been evident.
His shot selection and decision making drew mockery and criticism, and it seemed like he wasn’t going to be able to live up to the hype.
But if these past couple of weeks are an indicator, then the Rockets should be thrilled with the young core they have on their hands, even if Green seems to be better and more efficient without Sengun on the floor.
NEXT: Ime Udoka Has Clear Message About Jalen Green