Photo Gallery

All photos courtesy of Dutch Cowgill

Rockets Will Play Boston Celtics in Exhibition on Vipers’ Court

March 5, 2009

MCALLEN, TEXAS - The NBA Houston Rockets and their affiliate, the NBA D-League Rio Grande Valley Vipers, announced today in a press conference that the Rockets will hold a portion of their 2009 pre-season training camp, including an exhibition game, in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Rockets will practice at the McAllen Convention Center on October 4th and 5th, and host an exhibition game against the defending-NBA Champion Boston Celtics on the Vipers’ court at Dodge Arena on October 7th.

“We are thrilled to be coming for camp next year and working with community leaders to deliver a great Rockets experience to the people of the Rio Grande Valley. We have been very appreciative of the warm welcome we have received, and look forward to working closely with the Vipers to support the growth of their team, and the sport of basketball, in the region,” Rockets Chief Executive Officer Tad Brown said.

“Having the Rockets spend a portion of their camp in the Valley as well as host the Celtics further demonstrates the strengthening relationship between the Rockets, Vipers, the NBA and the communities of the Rio Grande Valley. We are excited to have the Rockets here, and we are excited for the future of professional basketball in the region,” Vipers President and General Manager Brian Michael Cooper said.

There are two former Vipers currently playing for the Rockets – starting point guard Aaron Brooks and rookie forward Joey Dorsey. Brooks played in two games for the Vipers last season while Dorsey was with the Vipers for seven games this season. Both were NBA-assignees.

The Vipers will be hosting a Houston Rockets affiliate night on March 27th during their 7:00 p.m. game against the Tulsa 66ers at Dodge Arena. The Vipers will be wearing Rockets uniforms that will be auctioned off after the game. The first 1,000 fans through the doors will receive Ron Artest Bobblehead Dolls. Hall-of-Fame mascot Clutch the Bear will perform at halftime.

Clutch and the Rockets Power Dancers also appeared at the Vipers’ home opener this season.

On February 24th, Vipers Director of Broadcasting Alex Del Barrio appeared on the Rockets radio broadcast during the second quarter and post game shows.

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a professional basketball team in the NBA Development League (NBA D-League). The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league and features 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams for the 2008-09 season. An expansion team will begin play in Portland, Maine for the 2009-10 season. Sixty former NBA Development League players were on 2008-09 NBA start-of-season rosters, and the league continues to develop current NBA coaches and referees. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote youth basketball, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout this season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.The Vipers NBA affiliates are the Houston Rockets, and the New Orleans Hornets.