Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka talks with guard Jalen Green. Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Ime Udoka's high standard will pay dividends for Jalen Green

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 5/18/24

Since being drafted in 2021 , Jalen Green has been viewed as the Houston Rockets' franchise cornerstone. He and Alperen Sengun are the two bedrocks of the team's foundation. When Ime Udoka took over as Houston's head coach to begin the season, he inherited a young team full of developmental talent. He oversaw the additions of Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet to add some veteran grit to the roster.

Udoka is a demanding coach. He expects excellence from his players. During Green's end-of-season news conference, he discussed how Udoka envisions his role within the rotation moving forward.

"I know what Ime want from me going into next year and then just this whole middle of the season to now" Green said. "In the beginning of the season, he wanted me to be an all-around player, like you just said, playmaking and defense. I feel like I grew a lot in those areas...And I think I found out how to do that, just rebounding, playing defense, and making the right plays.”

Green has been a high-level prospect since entering the NBA. However, questions have been raised over his limited improvements. The 22-year-old is still a similar player to the one that entered the league in 2021. Udoka's leadership should change that. He will demand improvements from one of his star players. He will want Green to develop into an elite two-way wing, and that means impacting the game outside of the scoreboard.

Houston needs Green to start making strides in his development. He was drafted to become a star talent within the roster. He's still young enough to make those leaps. Nevertheless, patience will eventually begin to wear thin. Still, Green is an impactful offensive player, even at his current level. He played all 82 of Houston's regular-season games this year, averaging 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 42.3% from the field and 33.2% from three-point range.

Having an elite coach like Udoka will do wonders for Green's development. Whether we see signs of a major jump next season will remain to be seen.

More must-reads: