Houston Rockets Have Taken on the Reputation of a Tough Team

The Rockets have transformed their reputation in one season.

Dillon Brooks, Rockets training camp / Lachard Binkley, Rockets on SI

In the first phase of the Houston Rockets rebuild, there was a significant focus on player development and roster turnover. The team stripped down its roster and began the rebuilding process. Winning games was not the primary goal, as the Rockets aimed to allow their young players to gain experience and improve their skills.

The Rockets were not seen as team opponents feared, or as a team that was seen as tough-minded. However, everything started to change with the hiring of Ime Udoka and the free-agent signings of Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jeff Green. In his first press conference, Udoka said the Rockets would not back down to anyone, which showed in the first season.

The Rockets improved from being at the bottom of the league in almost every defensive category to being in the top ten in several areas. They were also involved in a variety of scrums throughout the season, the most notable being between Udoka and LeBron James.

In a previous post-game interview after a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in early December, Udoka discussed the Rockets' lack of physicality: "To kinda get punked by a team that's not known for physicality or punking people is not a good sign." That was the last time we heard about the Rockets being a soft team.

Brooks has been known for his tough reputation throughout his career. He was brought in to bring toughness to a young team that was aiming to change its reputation around the league.

I asked Brooks about his approach to the game and if he feels the Rockets team now has that reputation.

I asked Dillon Brooks if he believes the team now has the reputation of being a tough team around the league.

“100 percent especially at home” pic.twitter.com/7ESgFpgp5k

— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) October 3, 2024

Brooks has provided the Rockets with the toughness on defense and edge they had lacked. Even rookie Reed Sheppard has emphasized the importance of toughness in his interviews. In his introductory interview, Sheppard repeatedly mentioned how his mother advised him not to be soft on the court. "You can't be soft," Sheppard said during his introductory press conference.

Reed Sheppard, Rockets training camp / Lachard Binkley, Rockets on SI

Over the past year, the Rockets players have consistently embodied the personality of their head coach and players like Dillon Brooks. This has become a recurring theme in conversations with them. Dillon Brooks is not the only player on the Rockets with this reputation. As a result, the Rockets are no longer seen as pushovers but as opponents who will not back down.

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