Who is Bree Purganan? The untold story of Jalen Green's mom
Jalen Green is a rising star in the NBA as a shooting guard for the Houston Rockets, but behind his success is his mother, Bree Purganan. Originally from the Philippines, she ensured her son had all the support he needed to make it as a basketball athlete living in California.
Source: UGC
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Bree Purganan's influence on her son goes beyond basketball. Jalen Green is currently part of the Philippines' representation in the NBA, a role that he has embraced wholeheartedly. The athlete is the third player in the NBA with Filipino roots, alongside stars Raymond Townsend and Jordan Clarkson.
Bree Purganan's profile summary
| Full name | Bree Purganan |
| Place of birth | Ilocos Sur, Philippines |
| Current residence | California, United States |
| Nationality | Filipino-American |
| Height | 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m/165 cm) |
| Weight | Approx. 60 kg (132 lbs) |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Gender | Female |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Married |
| Husband | Marcus Green |
| Children | Three, including Jalen Green, Jurnee Tyra, and Raquel Purganan |
| Parents | Julia Durbin (mother) |
| Siblings | Kristie Purganan Canon (sister) and Josh Bass (brother) |
| Profession | Nurse, entrepreneur |
| Social media | |
| Known for | Being Jalen Green's mother |
Who is Jalen Green's mom?
Jalen Green's mom is Bree Purganan. She is a professional nurse and entrepreneur based in California, United States. She is also active in charity work, especially cancer awareness and research, through her organization, Bree's Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.
How old is Bree Purganan?
Bree Purganan's age has yet to be disclosed. She was born to Julia Durbin, a teacher, but her father's identity is not known. Bob Durbin became her stepfather when Julia remarried in 1995.
Bree Green's height
Bree stands at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m/165 cm) tall. She weighs around 60 kg (132 lbs). Despite her limiting height, she played college basketball while attending Merced College, where she pursued a nursing career.
Source: Original
Bree Purganan's husband
Purganan has not revealed details about Jalen Green's biological father. She is currently married to basketball athlete Marcus Green. Marcus played alongside DeShawn Stevenson in high school.
Jalen is close to his stepdad, who has been by his side throughout his basketball journey. He used to take him to recruitment camps from seventh grade and even bought him a pair of Jordans for his first dunk in 8th grade.
Marcus usually talks highly of his stepson. In a 2018 interview with Bleacher Report, he defended Jalen against claims that he was living a glamourous lifestyle, saying,
He's not living large. It's not the worst, but it ain't the best. He works for everything. There was nothing really handed to him.
Source: UGC
Jalen Green's parents' nationality
Bree Purganan's nationality is Filipino-American. She was born and raised in Ilocos Sur, Philippines, alongside her two siblings: a sister called Kristie Purganan Canon and a brother called Josh Bass.
The family later relocated to the United States, where they still reside today. Bree was living in Merced, California, when she welcomed Jalen Green on February 9, 2002. She has also lived in Livingston, California, and Fresno, California.
Jalen's stepfather, Marcus Green, is an American with African-American ethnicity. It is unclear what ethnicity his biological father is.
Bree Purganan's children
Bree has three children including two daughters and one son. Jalen Green is the family's middle child. Raquel Purganan is the eldest sister and is currently married to Steve Tucker. Jurnee Tyra (born in February 2011) is the youngest child who, like his big brother, has a passion for basketball.
Source: Instagram
Bree Purganan is Jalen Green's biggest motivation
Jalen was the second overall pick by the Houston Rockets in the 2021 NBA Draft and is currently one of the NBA's top stars. In 2022, ESPN ranked him among the top 100 NBA players.
In his 2022 interview with the late sports journalist Chino Trinidad, Green credited his mom for his success, adding that the most important thing is for him to believe in his work and ignore people's negative views of him.
I got my work ethic from (my mom), my mindset from her. She used to tell me to go get it, and that is what I did...Since a young age, I felt like winning was everything.
Jalen Green's family often accompanies him to major NBA events. His mother has expressed how proud she is of his son's achievements. In a previous interview following Jalen's draft into the NBA, Bree said,
He's always been confident. Everything that he's always wanted, he's worked so hard to go after. This is the person that he has become growing up. So proud of him.
Source: Getty Images
Jalen Green is proud of his Filipino roots
Jalen usually keeps tabs on his Filipino roots and has been to the Philippines numerous times. In August 2022, he visited Manila as a global brand ambassador for Adidas during the JG4 Manila Tour.
While Green cannot represent the Philippines at the national level, he previously shared his excitement to be able to represent the country in the NBA, saying,
I'm always excited to represent the Philippines. So, the fact that there's ties in Houston it's kind of like it was scripted. So, I'm excited to take that out there and just represent and put on for the Philippines, and I can't wait to meet everybody and see the fans. It's going to be exciting.
Jalen's mother, Purganan, previously expressed her delight in seeing her son cherishing his culture during her interview with Philstar. She said,
It makes me feel proud for him to carry on and then be able to understand and recognize where he comes from, his heritage...You know, my grandfather is from here. And so, for him to recognize that and to be able to come back and then, it just feels great for him to be able to do all of this.
Source: Getty Images
Bree Purganan is currently a proud parent as her son continues to make waves in the NBA. Her significant influence on Jalen Green's success makes her an unsung hero in his remarkable basketball career.
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Source: Briefly News
