Throughout his pre-NBA playing days, Jalen Green wore a No. 4 jersey and even earned the “JG4” nickname. However, that number was not available when he joined the Rockets in the 2021 offseason. At the time, it belonged to veteran forward Danuel House Jr., who cited personal family reasons for wanting to keep the number.
Even prized rookies like Green, who was drafted at No. 2 in the 2021 first round, typically show deference to veterans in such situations.
House was released last December, but that’s not among the limited circumstances in which the NBA would allow a player to change numbers midway through a season. Thus, Green had to wait. But when the 2022-23 league year began Friday, that No. 4 jersey became available, and Green and the Rockets wasted no time in making it official.
