Filipino-American NBA prospect Jalen Green landed on the cover page for SLAM Magazine's Future Issue for April/May 2021.
"blessing from the man above," wrote Green on Instagram Wednesday, March 10, accompanied with a folded hands/praying emoji, following an impressive stint with Team Ignite in the NBA G League.
The cover page of SLAM's 231 Future Issue highlights a crouching Green, clad in Ignite uniform while holding a basketball.
Also available for purchase are the Black Metal and the Gold Metal editions. Other features include in-depth stories on New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu and the "best high school ballplayer" in the United States, Emoni Bates.
"Biggest thing I’ve learned probably is, like, terms, knowing where to be, knowing how to talk, and then probably just pace,” said Green, who averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 15 games in the NBA G League bubble, as quoted by SLAM's Max Resetar.
"You gotta have a pace in the game or it’s gonna be so hard for you. In high school, I used to get away with just coming down court, being faster than everybody, being stronger, and now you’re on the court with people who are just as strong as you, or even stronger, or faster than you. So you gotta be smarter about what you’re about to do."
Green’s stint in the NBA G League ended on Monday, March 8, after the Ignite suffered a 127-102 loss to Raptors 905 in the first round of the single-elimination playoffs.
Before leaving the Orlando bubble with an 8-7 record, the 19-year-old California-native left a lasting impression by posting 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals.
With a SLAM cover feature and a grand exit from the NBA G League, Green is one step closer in getting selected in the 2021 NBA draft and playing in the biggest basketball league in the world.