Jeff Green believes the NBA has changed in every meaningful way since he entered the league, and he says that evolution has only made basketball stronger.
Speaking with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, the longtime veteran said, “the league is WAY different from when I started,” pointing to “the style of play” and “the growth of players” as proof of how far the game has come.
Green said that growth is exactly what has pushed the sport forward. “Guys have grown into the game and the skillset has grown and that’s why the game is so much better,” he said, adding that basketball is now “bigger” and “global.”
He also pushed back on the constant debate over the NBA’s so-called face of the league. Green said the sport has always worked best when stardom develops on its own, noting, “they just need to let it happen organically instead of trying to pick and choose.”
Green tied that point to how fans and media create unnecessary arguments around individual stars. “Man, I think that it’s headlines for people to have an opinion on something,” he said, before adding, “it’s a personal opinion to whomever you’re talking to.” For Green, the answer is simple: “Everybody has their favorites and everybody has someone who they like better than the other person.”
The veteran forward also made clear that his love for basketball has never faded, even after years in the league. “I’m a basketball fan and I love basketball regardless of who it is that’s playing,” he said. “I just love watching the game.”
Green’s perspective also reflects his role with Houston’s younger core. Asked about being a veteran presence with the Rockets, he called the experience “awesome” and said the lessons he received early in his career now come with responsibility.
That passion now extends to mentoring one of the Western Conference’s top teams. Houston enters April with a 49-29 record, fifth in the West, and riding a six-game winning streak while positioning itself for the playoffs.
The Rockets’ offense is led by Kevin Durant, who averages 25.9 points while shooting 51.9% from the field and 41.0% from three. Alperen Sengun adds 20.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, while Amen Thompson contributes 17.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.
Houston’s balanced lineup also features Jabari Smith Jr. at 15.7 points per game and rookie guard Reed Sheppard at 13.6 points while shooting nearly 40% from three. The mix of veterans and young contributors has helped the team remain one of the West’s most consistent groups.
Green, who has appeared in 29 games this season, averages 2.1 points in limited minutes but plays a different role inside the locker room. “I’ve had the opportunity to have some great vets in my time,” he said. “They taught me a lot and they gave me a lot of knowledge on how to grow in this league so it’s my duty and my job now to pass those teachings along to the young guys that we have now.”
He finished with the kind of present-day mindset that has kept him around for so long. “My family is life after basketball,” Green said, while adding that he is focused on now because “I’m staying in the present.”
