To show appreciation for Juneteenth, Rockets and Toyota Center employees took part Friday in a company-wide day of service at historic Freedmen’s Town, located in Houston’s Fourth Ward.
As part of the event, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka led dozens of staffers as they conducted cleanup tasks throughout Saulnier House, Wiley Park, and the Freedmen’s Town Association. In 2020, the organization produced a video highlighting the site’s historical significance to the community.
Saulnier House was one of the original homes built in Freedmen’s Town after emancipation was proclaimed in Texas on June 19, 1865.
Before their service work, Stone, Udoka, Jabari Smith Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. took media questions about what could be a pivotal offseason in Houston’s franchise rebuild. The Rockets hold the No. 4 and No. 20 picks in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft on June 22, and they should have about $60 million in salary cap space once free agency negotiations open on June 30.
As part of Friday’s extended media session, here’s a look at their most pertinent observations and insights.