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HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets today announced they have converted guard Garrison Mathews from a two-way contract into a standard NBA contract and signed guard/forward Trevelin Queen (TREH-vill-in) from their NBA G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley, to a two-way contract.  In a related move, the Rockets have waived forward Danuel House. Jr.

Mathews was claimed off waivers by Houston from Boston on Oct. 18.  After being assigned to Rio Grande Valley to open the season, Mathews made his Rockets debut at Memphis on Nov. 17.

In 16 games with 11 starts this season, Mathews is averaging 12.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 28.8 minutes per game.  He scored in double-figures in nine straight games from Nov. 27 through Dec. 13, including 20-plus twice, while helping Houston to a 7-2 record.  Mathews also tied for the second-most 3-pointers made by any player in the league over that span.

Queen (6-6, 190) is the 14th NBA G League GATORADE Call-Up of the 2021-22 season.  He was eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft following his senior season at New Mexico State and was with Houston during the 2020 preseason before playing for the Vipers in the G League bubble.

The Maryland native played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2021 NBA Summer League and remained with them through the preseason before rejoining Rio Grande Valley.  In 10 games for the Vipers this season, Queen averaged 22.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.6 3-pointers made.

House joined the Rockets in November of 2018 and appeared in 154 games with 89 starts since that point, while averaging 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists.  The Houston native began his collegiate career at the University of Houston before transferring to Texas A&M.

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Rockets Announce Roster Changes

Trevor Patin

HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets today announced they have signed free agent forward Tyler Bey and free agent guard Daishen Nix (DAY-shin).

Bey (6-7, 216) was the 36th overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2020 NBA Draft before his rights were acquired by Dallas.  He appeared in 18 games for the Mavericks as a two-way player last season and was also assigned to the G League.  In a total of 13 G League games for Long Island and Salt Lake City, Bey averaged 15.1 points and 9.2 rebounds while shooting 49.3% from the floor. 

Over his final two seasons at Colorado from 2018-19 through 2019-20, Bey was one of six Division I players with 50-plus games played to have averaged at least 13.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.00 spg, and 1.00 bpg.  He was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.

Nix (6-5, 224) was eligible for the 2021 NBA Draft after spending last season with the G League Ignite, where he was teammates with Rockets rookie Jalen Green.  The 19-year-old joined Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. and Kobi Simmons as the only G League players in 2020-21 to have averaged at least 5.0 rpg and 5.0 apg.

A McDonald’s All-American, Nix was born in Alaska but moved to Las Vegas at age 13.  He originally committed to UCLA before signing with the Ignite.

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Rockets Sign Tyler Bey and Daishen Nix

HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets today announced they have signed forward Usman Garuba, who was the 23rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.  After competing for the Spanish national team in the Olympics, the 19-year-old joined the Rockets entry in NBA Summer League 2021, which runs through Aug. 17 in Las Vegas.

Garuba (6-8, 220) spent last season with Real Madrid in Spain’s Liga ACB and was the recipient of the ACB Best Young Player award along with being named the EuroLeague Rising Star, recognizing the top player under the age of 22.

Including their run to the ACB championship game, Real Madrid posted a 38-5 mark, with Garuba averaging 5.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game.  During the EuroLeague playoffs, he became the youngest player in the competition’s postseason history to record a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds vs. Anadolu Efes.

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Rockets Sign Usman Garuba

HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets today announced they have signed rookie free agent forward Matthew Hurt to a two-way contract.  The 21-year-old is currently playing for the Rockets entry in NBA Summer League 2021, which runs through Aug. 17 in Las Vegas.

Hurt (6-9, 235) was eligible for the 2021 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at Duke.  He was named ACC Most Improved Player this past season after averaging a conference-high 18.3 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sophomore, up from 9.7 ppg and 3.8 rpg as a freshman.  For his career, Hurt shot 52.6% from the floor and 42.1% from 3-point range.

As a senior at John Marshall High School in Minnesota, Hurt averaged 37.4 points and 12.4 rebounds and was a McDonald’s All-American.  He won a gold medal with USA Basketball at the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.

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Rockets Sign Matthew Hurt to Two-Way Contract

HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets today announced they have re-signed forward David Nwaba.

Nwaba (6-5, 219) originally signed as a free agent with Houston on June 23, 2020.  He appeared in 30 games with nine starts last season, averaging 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.00 steals in 22.6 minutes per game.  Nwaba was one of three players in 2020-21 to have averaged at least 9.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, and 1.00 spg in fewer than 23.0 mpg.

Over his final 20 games played, Nwaba shot 51.7% from the floor and grabbed at least two offensive rebounds 12 times.  Since entering the league in 2016-17, he is one of four players listed 6’5” or shorter with at least 100 games played to have shot 49.0% or better.

Nwaba was eligible for the 2016 NBA Draft following his senior year at Cal Poly.  The Los Angeles native began his career with the Lakers and has also played for Chicago, Cleveland, and Brooklyn.

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Rockets Re-Sign David Nwaba

HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets today announced they have signed guard Josh Christopher and forward/center Alperen Sengun.

Sengun (6-9, 235), was the 16th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by Oklahoma City before his rights were acquired by Houston in exchange for two future first round picks owed to the Rockets via Detroit and Washington.  The native of Turkey recently turned 19 years old and was the Turkish Super League MVP this past season for his club, Besiktas.

In 34 league games, Sengun averaged 18.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals while shooting 62.6% from the floor and 81.2% from the foul line.  The 19-year-old also averaged 23.0 ppg on 71.0% shooting in three FIBA Europe Cup games and played for the Turkish national team during Olympic qualifying this summer.

Christopher (6-5, 215) was the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by Houston following his freshman season at Arizona State.  He appeared in 15 games for the Sun Devils, averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.5 steals.  

The 19-year-old scored 28 points in his second career game vs. Villanova and posted 22 points with 11 rebounds against UCLA, which went onto play in the Final Four.  A McDonald’s All-American, Christopher averaged 29.4 points and 11.2 rebounds as a senior at Mayfair High School in California.

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Rockets Sign Josh Christopher and Alperen Sengun

HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets today announced they have signed guard Jalen Green, who was the second overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.  Green is scheduled to play for the Rockets entry in NBA Summer League 2021, which runs from August 8-17 in Las Vegas.

Green (6-6, 178), who turned 19 years old on Feb. 9, was the first player to sign with NBA G League Ignite, a team dedicated to the development and mentorship of top young prospects in preparation for the NBA Draft.  In 15 G League games last season, he averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.53 steals, and 2.1 3-pointers made.  Green tallied 30 points, 7 assists, 5 boards, and 3 steals in the Ignite’s lone playoff game vs. Raptors 905.

As a senior at California’s Prolific Prep in 2019-20, Green averaged 31.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists.  He was ranked as the No. 1 high school prospect in the Class of 2020 by ESPN and was a McDonald’s All-American.

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Rockets Sign Jalen Green

houpsuarez

HOUSTON – During tonight’s 2021 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets selected guard Jalen Green with the second overall pick. Additionally, the Rockets acquired forward/center Alperen Sengun [al-pah-ron shen-gün], forward Usman Garuba [oose-mon gah-ROO-bah], and guard Josh Christopher.  All four players were chosen within the first 24 picks of the draft.

Green won gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup, 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup, and 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.

The only other time the Rockets drafted a player second overall was in 1970 with the selection of Rudy Tomjanovich.  Houston also acquired the draft rights to Steve Francis, who was the No. 2 overall pick by Vancouver in the 1999 NBA Draft.  Including Francis, the second overall pick has produced 16 Rookie of the Year winners, most recently Ja Morant in 2019-20 and Kevin Durant in 2007-08.

Sengun (6-9, 235), was the 16th overall pick by Oklahoma City before his rights were acquired by Houston in exchange for two future first round picks owed to the Rockets via Detroit and Washington.  The native of Turkey recently turned 19 years old and was the Turkish Super League MVP this past season for his club, Besiktas.

In 34 league games, Sengun averaged 18.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals while shooting 62.6% from the floor and 81.2% from the foul line.  He also averaged 23.0 ppg on 71.0% shooting in three FIBA Europe Cup games and played for the Turkish national team during Olympic qualifying this summer.

Garuba (6-8, 220), was the 23rd overall pick by Houston and is currently playing for Spain in the Olympics.  The 19-year-old spent last season with Real Madrid in Spain’s Liga ACB and was the recipient of the ACB Best Young Player award along with being named the EuroLeague Rising Star, recognizing the top player under the age of 22.

Including their run to the ACB championship game, Real Madrid posted a 38-5 mark, with Garuba averaging 5.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game.  During the EuroLeague playoffs, he became the youngest player to record a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds vs. Anadolu Efes.

Christopher (6-5, 215) was the 24th overall pick by Houston following his freshman season at Arizona State.  The 19-year-old appeared in 15 games for the Sun Devils, averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.5 steals.  He scored 28 points in his second career game vs. Villanova and posted 22 points with 11 rebounds against UCLA, which went onto play in the Final Four.  A McDonald’s All-American, Christopher averaged 29.4 points and 11.2 rebounds as a senior at Mayfair High School in California.

All four of the players Houston acquired in the draft will be 19 years old at the start of the 2021-22 NBA season.

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Rockets Acquire Four Players in 2021 NBA Draft

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