Houston Rockets Coach Ime Udoka Establishing Building Blocks Away From Home

Due to the time spent away from home, coach Ime Udoka has established building blocks for the Houston Rockets.

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Coach Ime Udoka broke the huddle for the final time inside the Legacy Center at McNeese State University. Friday afternoon was the last day of training camp for the Houston Rockets in Lake Charles.

Udoka was delighted with the team's effort and focus. And as they make their way back to Houston, he feels the Rockets have built a solid foundation for a winning season.

"I feel training camp went well," Udoka said. "They were policing themselves by holding each other accountable. There was a lot of communication. The veterans are paying off. The young guys are working hard. As I mentioned before, they all came into training camp in good shape."

Four days in Lake Charles gave the Rockets time to learn and apply Udoka's on-court teachings. But more notably, it gave the team additional time to build upon the continuity and chemistry they've established during the summer.  

Rockets' coach Ime Udoka at Houston Astros. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

A trip to Lake Charles was Udoka's first time in the city and one of the few opportunities he had to travel for training camp — whether as a coach or a player.   

"It's a nice thing to get away and focus," Udoka said. "We had some nice dinners together as a group. And the facility was more suitable with the three gyms they have. It's a good thing. It got the guys to lock in and focus for four days. And then we'll go back and prepare for games."

Udoka has been on the move over the past week. At media day Monday morning, Udoka revealed that he and his coaching staff had been on a retreat that gave him a chance to self-evaluate his lone season at the helm of the Boston Celtics.

As a young coach still trying to establish himself, Udoka acknowledged that figuring out his team's attributes quicker is a significant point of emphasis to improve at the helm in Houston.

The Rockets are far from the final production as a revamped team aiming to win during the 2023-24 campaign. But each building block for Udoka and the Rockets will expand from the foundation established outside of Houston.

"I've been doing this for 12 years, and now, it's second nature," Udoka said. "It's exciting to get around a new group. We are all very interested to see what we have. But we will learn that throughout the weeks coming up. It's fun to be back out there with the guys."