Rockets Red Glare: Rookie TyTy Washington Using Draft Slight as Fuel

After falling to the second to last pick during the 2022 NBA Draft, Houston Rockets point guard TyTy Washington is using his draft night slide as motivation in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS — Houston Rockets rookie TyTy Washington Jr. said it was a surreal moment checking into the game Thursday night. Washington was in awe to hear his name over the PA of the Thomas & Mack Center — which marked the start of summer league, and his NBA career.

“Knowing that the Rockets believed in me has given me the ultimate confidence,” said Washington, who also has an ultimate motivation.

Washington said walking onto the court for the first time as a Rocket felt crazy. It was a special moment for Washington to have players like Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and college mentor John Wall taking a moment out of their busy schedules to watch his NBA debut. 

In 25 minutes of action, Washington recorded seven points, four rebounds and three assists in the Rockets' 91-77 defeat to the Orlando Magic. 

Washington's top priority during the NBA Summer League tournament is to help the Rockets leave Las Vegas with a championship title. 

But each time he will take to the court, Washington will play with a chip on his shoulders to prove what teams will miss out on by not selecting him during the 2022 NBA Draft.

"With me falling in the draft, I feel like everything happens for a reason," Washington said. "All it takes is for one team to believe in you. And the Rockets believed in me.”

Following summer league practice Friday afternoon, Washington kept describing his first NBA moment as crazy. But the fact that Washington is playing for Houston is an absurd situation within itself. 

Washington entered the draft ranked as a highly sought-after prospect but fell to the Rockets during a draft-night trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves as the No. 29 pick. 

John Calipari, Washington's head coach at Kentucky, has raved about his playmaking and ability to create for his teammates. Washington's selflessness and willingness to make his teammates better is the top attribute that led him atop of the college point guards rankings. 

"The type of player I am, I want to see my teammates eat," Washington said. "Once my teammates start eating, it makes me hungry because I feed off them. I like to play unselfishly and get my teammates involved."

Amid Kentucky's 92-77 victory over Georgia on Jan. 8. Washington set a school record for most assists in a single game with 17, breaking the program's previous historical feat of 16 set by Wall in 2009.

Washington's performance against Orlando has given him the upper hand over Daishen Nix to see which player will enter the 2022-23 campaign as the backup point guard to Kevin Porter Jr. 

Ahead of the Rockets' next summer league contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, Washington would like to improve his aggressiveness on both ends of the floor.

And he’ll do so with motivational fuel.

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You can follow Coty Davis on Twitter @CotyDavis_24

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