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NBA prospect Jalen Green explains choosing G League over Division 1 basketball

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ABS-CBN News

US-based Filipino combo guard Jalen Green is excited to be taking an unusual path to the NBA, going straight to the NBA G League.&quot;It&#x27;s exciting. My family&#x27;s excited, I&#x27;m excited,&quot; Green said in an interview with ANC&#x27;s Migs Bustos Friday. &quot;I think it&#x27;s really a great path for me. I always wanted to be different.&quot;Joining the G league this soon meant skipping the opportunity to play Division 1 basketball, the traditional route top NBA prospects take, a decision he announced Thursday.&quot;I think it would be better for my long term goal, better for my development and professional success. The NBA G League will give me the best opportunity for development as an NBA player,&quot; Green said.The 18-year-old, whose mother traces her roots to Ilocos Sur, is ranked No. 3 overall by the 247Sports Composite. He is also the nation&#x27;s No. 2 combo guard and the No. 2 player in the state of California, per the index.Following a season in the G League, Green would be eligible for the 2021 NBA Draft.&quot;I worked a lot since my 6th to 8th grade year, it kept going. I was in the gym, never satisfied still in the grind,&quot; Green said.Aside from improving his game, Green hopes he would be able to elevate his leadership skills through the G League, too.Green currently busies himself maintaining his fitness while waiting for the COVID-19 pandemic to die down.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/17/20/basketball-top-recruit-fil-am-jalen-green-joins-g-league-in-landmark-decision">READ: Top recruit, Fil-Am Jalen Green joins G League in landmark decision</a></li></ul>&quot;I still work outside, running, push ups, pull ups. As of now, no court. I do stretching, getting stronger,&quot; he said.&quot;The most important thing for now is getting stronger, better in training, nutrition.&quot;The reshaped G League program will group elite prospects on one team and pay them each at least $500,000, while serving as a one-year development program before they are eligible to enter the NBA draft.Per ESPN, the program was bolstered after urging from NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who wanted the G League to interest players that might try to play professionally in Australia, as LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton did this year. -- With a report from Reuters<div>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>. </div>

Jalen Green had been heavily recruited by top Division 1 basketball programs but opted for the G League, saying he "wanted to be different."

Jalen Green had been heavily recruited by top Division 1 basketball programs but opted for the G League, saying he "wanted to be different."