Photos from jalen, drayamichele/Instagram
In the whirlwind of one of the NBA’s biggest offseason shakeups, Filipino American hooper Jalen Green found himself caught in the emotional aftermath of his first career trade.
The 23-year-old guard was part of a massive seven-team deal that sent him from the Houston Rockets to the Phoenix Suns.
Photo from jalen/Instagram
The move came as a surprise to Green, who admitted the experience wasn’t easy. But the rising star wasn’t navigating the transition alone.
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By his side were girlfriend Draya Michele and their 1-year-old daughter, Lyght Green. The family had been spending their offseason in Los Angeles, where they found out about the trade. Michele, who is 17 years Green’s senior, shared her perspective in a recent interview with the New York Post, conducted in partnership with the 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer campaign, WAGS in Wags.
Photo from drayamichele/Instagram
Photo from drayamichele/Instagram
“Well, this was my first time experiencing a trade,” the 40-year-old entrepreneur and reality star said. “I just think, you know, as his girlfriend, my main responsibility is to support him wherever we were going.”
Despite their public-facing relationship, Michele has faced frequent criticism over their age gap. But she isn’t letting the noise drown out her voice. Speaking candidly, she reflected on the emotional toll of online negativity.
“I mean, you try to get to that point (where you don’t give a f—), but I mean you’re still human and you still have feelings,” she shared. “Sometimes, you know you can read things that are hurtful and you want to just let it roll off, but it doesn’t always work like that.”
Michele added that the impact of these comments often depends on the day she’s having. “I take it because it comes with it, with the limelight, like I said. But I’m human and I have feelings.”
