Bree Purganan, a Filipina-American nurse and the mother of Phoenix Suns shooting guard Jalen Green, has become a notable figure in the NBA community. Unlike many celebrity parents, she continues to work actively in nursing and philanthropy. Jalen frequently credits his mother for the resilience and work ethic that shaped his path to professional basketball.
Early Life and Filipina Heritage
Bree Purganan was born in Ilocos Sur, Luzon, Philippines, and later moved to the United States. Her precise age and date of birth have not been made public. She was born to Julia Durbin in a family of five, with siblings Josh Bass and Kristie Purganan Cannon.
Her Filipina roots are part of a wider story in the NBA. Her son Jalen is among the few NBA stars with Filipino backgrounds, including Jared McCain and Dylan Harper.
Career Journey: From Student to Nurse
Bree attended Merced Community College District, where she also played college basketball. According to her LinkedIn profile, she completed her associate degree in Nursing in 1999. In 2002, she completed her licensed vocational nursing certification (LVN) at Turlock Emanuel.
Based in Fresno, California, she is a professional nurse and businesswoman. As of 2025, she works as a mental health care nurse. She has served as a licensed vocational nurse since 2016 in the emergency department of Madera Community Hospital. Between 2004 and 2015, she worked at various health facilities, including Provant, OccuVax, Corizon Health and the CDC.
Family Life and Motherhood
Bree is married to Marcus Green, a former basketball player. The couple has three children: Raquel, Jalen, and Jurnee Tyra. They have not disclosed how they met or how long they have been married.
Jalen Green, born on 9 February 2002, has his own growing family. He and partner Draya Michele welcomed their daughter, Lyght Green, born in May 2024 and introduced to the public in June 2025, making Bree a grandmother.
In an interview with Bleacher Report, Bree defended her son against critics, saying: "They don't know he has fought and practised and worked to be where he's at." Jalen also credited his mother in an interview with 24 Oras Weekend: "I got my work ethic from her, my mindset from her... since a young age, I felt like winning was everything."
Bree's nursing career spans over two decades, including work in mental health and emergency care. She is active in charity work, especially cancer awareness and research. Her commitment to healthcare and family continues to define her public role as the mother of an NBA star.
