Report: Rockets' Usman Garuba To Play EuroBasket Tournament For Spain

Houston Rockets' rookie forward Usman Garuba plans to play for Spain ahead of the 2022 EuroBasket tournament.

HOUSTON — Houston Rockets rookie Usman Garuba will return to competitive basketball sooner than his NBA contemporaries. Garuba will take play in the 2022 EuroBasket tournament, set to begin on Sept. 1. He will be back in the states ahead of the 2022-23 Rockets' training camp.

Garuba, representing his home country Spain, is hoping his experience playing in the EuroBasket tournament will help with his development ahead of his sophomore campaign in Houston. 

Usman Garuba

Usman Garuba

Usman Garuba

Garuba averaged 10.0 minutes in the 24 games he appeared in as a rookie. He gave a glimpse into his best on-court attribute on the defensive side of the ball. 

During the Rockets' 122-117 defeat to the Sacramento Kings, Garuba pulled down a career-best 14 rebounds and recorded a pair of blocks. Garuba missed the majority of his rookie season due to a wrist injury he sustained at practice in January. 

Garuba is the second player from the Rockets' roster who plans to participate in the EuroBasket tournament. Prior to departing Houston at the conclusion of the 2021-22 NBA season, Alperen Sengun revealed his intentions to play for his homeland of Turkey. 

Sengun played a vital part of coach Stephen Silas' rotation during his rookie year. Sengun played in 72 games while averaging 9.6 points and 5.5 rebounds. He closed his rookie campaign averaging 13.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and a block in the absence of Christian Wood in the final five games.  

Sengun started in all five contests.

Alperen Sengun

Alperen Sengun and Christian Wood

Alperen Sengun

Before joining the Rockets, Sengun became MVP of the Turkish league in 2021, as he averaged 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 blocks in 28.3 minutes across 29 games played for the Besiktas Icrypex.