SPORTS: ROCKETS SUMMER LEAGUE FINISH GIVES NEW LIFE TO A REBUILDING FRANCHISE

By Brian Barefield, Sports Editor

ited to one game of summer league play after he suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain against the Trailblazers.

What the point guard out of Overtime Elite showed before he sustained his injury is a reason for the Rockets and their fanbase to be excited. Thompson finished the game with 16 points (6-for-13), four rebounds, five assists, three steals, and four blocks. His versatility and athleticism were on full display in front of the crowd in Las Vegas, which hopefully will carry over into the regular season.

The Other Guys Houston’s run to the championship game allowed some of the other players on the roster to get noticed. With Smith and second-year forward Tari Eason being removed from the rotation and Thompson’s ankle injury sidelining him for the remainder of the games, summer league head coach Ben Sullivan was able to use players who may have a shot of receiving some regular season minutes for the Rockets or other teams. Guard Trevor Hudgins, who signed with Houston as an undrafted player in June 2022, had a six-game stretch where he helped lead the summer league’s best scoring offense by averaging 14.5 points per game while shooting 38 percent from three-point range. Hudgins spent most of his time last season with the Rockets’ G League affiliate team, Rio Grande Valley Vipers. His ability to shoot from long range was a key factor in Houston giving him another two-way contract at the start of free agency.

Once famous for his mullet-style haircut while playing for the Baylor Bears, Matthew Mayer did everything needed to help the Rockets reach the championship game on Monday.

Read more at StyleMagazine.com www.HoustonRockets.com