Rockets Jalen Green named twice as Western Conference ‘Rookie of the Month’

The NBA has announced that Rockets guard Jalen Green has been named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for March and April. He is the first Rocket to have earned Rookie of the Month honors since Luis Scola in February of 2008 and the sixth different player in franchise history, joining Ralph Sampson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Steve Francis, Yao Ming, and Scola.

Green averaged 22.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists over the final two months of the season while shooting 48.4% from the floor and 39.5% from 3-point range. He scored 20-plus points in 15 of the 22 games over that span including 30-plus in five straight games from March 28 through April 5 which was the second-longest streak by a rookie going back to 1971-72. Green also hit four-plus 3-pointers in seven straight games from March 25 through April 5 and set the rookies records for consecutive games with 4+ 3FGM, 5+ 3FGM and 6+ 3FGM during that span.

In March, Green became the youngest player to have recorded at least 350 points and 50 3-pointers made in a single month while shooting 48.0% or better from the floor and 39.0% or better from 3-point range. Green averaged 28.6 points on 49.5% shooting in five games played in April, including a career-high 41 points in the season finale vs. Atlanta on April 10.

For the season, Green started all 67 of his games played while averaging 17.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 2.6 apg. He ranked second among rookies in scoring and was 0.14 ppg shy of the lead. Green hit 157 3-pointers, which is tied for the fourth-most through the first 67 games played by any player in NBA history. From the start of February, Green had the 12th-best 3-point percentage (.393) of any player who averaged at least 3.0 3FGM over that span.

Green turned 20 years old on Feb. 9. He finished the season as the eighth rookie 20 or younger in NBA history to have at least 1,157 points, 226 rebounds and 176 assists through the first 67 games played of a career. Going back to 2000-01, Green is one of 11 rookies of any age to have posted those numbers through their first 67 games played.