Rockets Draft Perfect Player for Ime Udoka in Latest Mock Draft

Will he actually be there, though?

Mar 14, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) celebrates with head coach Ime Udoka after a play during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

As the 2024 NBA Draft gets nearer and nearer, the buzz and chatter around it has grown increasingly. We've started hearing about teams that could be looking to make a move in the draft, whether it's to trade up and get someone they believe will be unavailable when they're on the clock or whether it's to trade down and get someone who will be there later in the draft.

Sometimes, it's not as easy to predict, as in the case of the Houston Rockets. The Rockets would love to part with their third overall pick, if it meant bringing back a star player. 

It could prove to be too difficult to pull off that feat, forcing them to actually use the pick. The latest mock draft by Ersin Demir of the NBA Draft Newsletter has the Rockets nabbing the perfect player for Rockets coach Ime Udoka: France's Zaccharie Risacher.

Demir's rationale is provided below:

"The Rockets are in an interesting situation. With Şengün ascending towards an All-Star selection soon and Green becoming a different player under Coach Udoka, Houston continued to add talent in Thompson, Whitmore, Eason and Smith Jr. who will all play in important role in their future plans.

While adding veteran leadership in VanVleet, Brooks and Adams, Houston is on par to get themselves into the playoffs next season. Therefore, continuing to add roster versatility is a must. In the league’s transition to positionless basketball, adding more size, versatility and ball handlers will give them more talent to fill out the rotation with.

Risacher’s combination of size, shooting touch, footwork and mobility make him one of the more unique prospects of the last few years. His shooting prowess is an instant roster-improver where he can grow into a role right out of the gates. The lack of offensive creativity is what keeps him away of serving as a number one option in the future. And on a Rockets team that’s built around Şengün and Green, filling their shooting needs while offering long-term potential is a win for Houston’s continuing development of their young group."

Risacher could possibly be gone when the Rockets are on the board, as there's been talk about him possibly going first overall to the Atlanta Hawks. 

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