Inside The Rockets

Rockets Thriving in Player Development

The Houston Rockets' player development has been crucial over the past few years.

Jeremy Brener

Apr 11, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka looks on against the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Apr 11, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka looks on against the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets have made a quick turnaround over the past year, but it's the work that was put in before that is helping them get to where they want to go.

ESPN writer Kevin Pelton praised the Rockets for their work in developing their young draft picks.

"Following a crucial 2023 summer, Houston turned the corner by complementing homegrown talent -- Green, Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. -- with proven veterans in free agency. The Rockets spent big on guard Fred VanVleet and wing Dillon Brooks, who slotted into the starting five alongside Houston's recent first-round picks," Pelton writes. "All three holdovers surged, with Sengun finishing third in Most Improved Player voting, Green averaging 27.7 points per game during a 13-2 March run -- highlighted by an 11-game winning streak -- and Smith boosting his true shooting percentage from .514 to .571 in Year 2. The veteran presence, plus new coach Ime Udoka, helped lift Houston all the way to 10th in defensive rating last season."

The Rockets, however, are no longer satisfied with just having exciting young players. They also want to compete for a playoff spot in a competitive Western Conference.

That being said, if the Rockets continue along the trajectory that they have followed for the past few years, a trip to the postseason could be well within their grasp.

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Jeremy Brener

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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