Jalen Green raced down the court at full speed. His teammate pushed ahead as the defense desperately tried to catch up. The ball was thrown in the air and Green effortlessly caught it and threw it down in one fluid motion.
The dunk was ferocious and quick — like lightning. It looked natural and easy for Green. People howled and cheered, even a few stood to applaud the play.
But we’re not talking about a jam-packed stadium filled with fans or a gymnasium filled with his classmates. This wasn’t in San Joaquin Memorial where he spent his first three years of high school nor Prolific Prep for his senior year. There were no NBA scouts and no brand executives in the vicinity.
Instead, Green was strutting his stuff inside the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City, Philippines, more than 7,000 miles from his home state of California. It was a Monday morning in late March of 2018 and Green was participating in the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) Finals, an event meant to showcase the country’s top high school teams.
Green headlined a guest team called FilAm Sports USA, a collection of some of the best Filipino-American talent. The then 16-year-old star finished with 26 points and seven rebounds in a win, including several highlight-worthy plays. It was the first time anybody from the Philippines saw him play in person and he lived up to the hype even as a high school sophomore.
Green has obviously come a long way since that random weekday game in the Philippines three years ago. In less than a week, the 19-year-old shooting guard will officially be drafted in the NBA. He’s projected to be in the top five, maybe even the top two. His game has been dissected left and right by draft experts, breaking down how he will transition in the big league.
Basketball fans know Green's story by now. How he was a consensus five-star recruit. How he was ranked as the top prospect by ESPN for the class of 2020. How he already has three gold medals under his belt playing international basketball, including being named MVP of the FIBA U-17 World Cup. How he became the first-ever player to sign with NBA G League Ignite, paving an alternate route to the pros.
Green averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 steals in the G League last year. A 6-foot-6 scoring dynamo, there is explosiveness to his game that fans are eager to watch.
For Filipinos, Green entering the NBA will feel a little closer to home. Green traces his Pinoy roots to his maternal grandfather from Ilocos Sur.
"I just look at it as a good experience to represent the Philippines,” Green told ESPN in his first visit to the country in 2018. "My family is Filipino so to come back here and represent them, it's a good experience so [I] like it.”
In the 2018 NBTC Finals, fans also saw Green explode for 51 points albeit in a losing cause against the National University Bullpups. Even then, his offensive arsenal was on a different level. His athleticism blew people away as did his outside shooting.
Jalen Green everybody! 2018 SM NBTC Slam Dunk champion! pic.twitter.com/CaPLM0dqdy
— Yoyo Sarmenta (@yo_sarmenta) March 23, 2018
It could be said that Green enjoyed his time in the Philippines so much that he decided to visit again the following year in 2019. He represented the same team, FilAm Sports USA, and wowed the country once more.
Green had a thunderous dunk over Filipino wunderkind Kai Sotto, who would later become his teammate briefly in the G League. Green was also named back-to-back champion in the tournament’s Slam Dunk contest.
"Yeah, I'mma be back. I will come back," Green told ESPN in 2019 at the conclusion of the tournament. "It was amazing. It's always good coming out here - the competition, the people and the fans, I love the support.”
If it wasn’t for the pandemic and the stoppage of local sports, Filipino fans might have experienced another visit from Green in 2020. Those games, dunk contests, and interviews are the bonds that tie Green to the country.
The basketball world is now unpacking his bio, stats, and highlights ahead of the NBA Draft. For Filipinos, Jalen Green is already a familiar name. There is a unique connection brought not only by blood but by the time he spent in the country. He has played in two iconic venues in Cuneta Astrodome and the SM Mall of Asia Arena. He has competed against various high school teams featuring the nation’s up-and-coming stars.
Green will soon light up the NBA. With his immense talent, he might just morph into an elite playmaker and scorer, who can one day lead the league in points.
Pinoy fans are of course no stranger to NBA players visiting the Philippines. From LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry, various stars have made their trips to Manila. Whether they’re promoting a shoe or playing in an exhibition game, fans have relished the chance to meet the players they only get to see on TV.
Only a handful of fans saw Green play in his first game in the Philippines. When he steps out on the NBA hardwood, you can bet that all Pinoy basketball fans will be rooting for him. And when Green visits the country again, it will be a momentous homecoming for him.
Catch the NBA Draft 2021 live on NBA TV Philippines and League Pass on Friday, July 30 at 8:00 AM. NBA Draft Pre-Show starts at 7:30 AM.
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