Jalen Green has never been shy about where he stands among prospects in the 2021 NBA draft.
"Me, I'm the best prospect in this draft, in my opinion," Green told me during an ESPN Film Session. "I didn't go to college, and I played against grown men. I just think as a 19-year-old doing that, I'm the best player in the draft for sure."
On Tuesday in Las Vegas, No. 2 pick Green will have his first opportunity to prove it, as the Houston Rockets clash with top pick Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons.
This won't be their first meeting, as Cunningham and Green have long been class of 2020 foes jockeying for the top spot in the high school rankings. Green, who once held the distinction as the top prospect, eventually finished No. 3 in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index rankings behind Cunningham (No. 1) and Evan Mobley (No. 2).
Cunningham and Green were teammates on the gold-medal-winning 2019 U.S. U19 World Cup team that also featured Jalen Suggs, Tyrese Haliburton, Reggie Perry and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Cunningham started all seven games and averaged 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 23.5 minutes, while Green played 21.5 minutes off the bench, averaging 10.1 points and 1.7 steals with a handful of highlight-reel plays.
Their last meeting was on the AAU circuit in the summer of 2019, when Green posted 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in a win over Cunningham's Texas Titans. Cunningham had 6 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Since then, Green has filled out his frame, fine-tuned his shooting and evolved into an elite scoring guard who still qualifies as a teenager. Cunningham is coming off an impressive freshman season with Oklahoma State, highlighted by a win over the eventual national champion Baylor Bears, a 40-point game against rival Oklahoma and Big 12 Player of the Year honors.
So what should fans expect from No. 1 vs. No. 2 facing off in Vegas? Let's break it down.
In what categories is Cunningham better than Green?
Cunningham edges out Green in two clear areas: passing and two-way versatility.
Cunningham is a cerebral playmaker, using his size to see over the top of defenses and pick teams apart. His negative assist-turnover ratio at Oklahoma State isn't indicative of the type of passer he is, and that area of his game should come to life in Vegas, as he will likely flirt with triple-doubles if he plays enough minutes. In his high school days as Montverde Academy's lead guard, Cunningham would fire one-handed darts to teammates in transition while showing the ability to utilize his off hand effectively in the half court. With NBA spacing, better shooting and highly skilled players around him, expect Cunningham's court vision to surprise those who didn't watch him prior to Oklahoma State.
Cunningham is longer and more physical than Green -- 6-foot-8 with a 7-2 wingspan and a strong 220-pound frame -- which allows him to shift anywhere from point guard to power forward on both ends. Don't be surprised to see him do everything from running pick-and-rolls and getting isolation step-backs to punishing smalls in the midpost with face-up shimmy moves or jump hooks. Although not quite as quick-footed as the agile Green, his strength, longer arms and all-around court sense make him more valuable defensively. As Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton told me during the college season, Cunningham fits in any situation, which is a product of the versatility he offers on both ends of the floor.
Where is Green better than Cunningham?
Green is the far superior athlete. He glides while filling the lanes in transition and is a true head-at-the-rim dunker with Zach LaVine-esque bounce. Green's game looks far better on a highlight reel than Cunningham's, and I fully expect him to generate more of a wow factor than Cunningham with his play in Vegas.
Green isn't just a dunker, though. He's a more natural scorer than Cunningham, with tremendous footwork and balance on his pull-up 3, showing the ability to separate as well as any young perimeter player I've evaluated. It's a big reason I made a LaVine-Bradley Beal hybrid comparison throughout the pre-draft process. So while Cunningham is the more complete player, Green should average more points per game than him in Vegas -- and potentially beyond. While not the passer or versatile defender Cunningham is, Green can and will show glimpses of promise as an on-ball defender, as he was trending in the right direction on that end with the G League Ignite. He has also shown that he can hit the roll man in the pick-and-roll better than most guards in his mold.
What am I most excited about regarding Cunningham vs. Green?
I want to see how aggressively Green goes at Cunningham, and how the No. 1 pick responds. Having spent time around Green both before the G League bubble and throughout the pre-draft process, it is clear he's eager to prove that he is the top player in the 2021 draft class. Green hinted that he was tired of hearing about how Cunningham was the clear-cut No. 1 pick and that Mobley also deserved consideration at the top.
Having watched him work out for hours in L.A., he's in tip-top shape and looks to be in top form as he heads to summer league. Green is the type who always carries a chip on his shoulder, and I'm ready to see how that translates if these two ultimately go at each other on Tuesday. "I'm coming for heads," Green told me during our first ESPN Film Session in Walnut Creek, California. Cunningham appears to be the first target.
Mike Schmitz is an NBA Draft expert and a contributor to DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.