The Houston Rockets will retain rookie forward Brodric Thomas by converting his training camp deal to a two-way contract, as first reported by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Thomas is taking the two-way spot that was vacated by the waiving of Kenny Wooten.
Based on the 2020-21 season’s delayed start and potential roster shortages due to COVID-19, the standard rules for two-way players are being eased this year — with two-way players eligible to play in up to 50 games out of the regular-season total of 72. That’s a big change from the usual policy, which had limited two-way players to 45 days of NBA service time (including not only games, but also practices and travel days). The remainder of their contractual time is spent in the G League — in the case of the Rockets, with their Rio Grande Valley Vipers affiliate club.
Thomas played only sparingly in three exhibition games for the Rockets (though he did have one poster-worthy dunk), averaging 2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game. However, head coach Stephen Silas has consistently raved about the 6-foot-5 swingman’s effort in practice, and he did so again on Saturday when asked about Thomas overcoming long odds to potentially make the final roster.
Undrafted rookie, Division II, all of those things. But he has been very, very consistent, and that’s what you want from a rookie. You don’t want the highs and lows. You just need someone who can perform at a consistent rate, and improve at a consistent rate. And he has done those things.
He shoots the ball relatively well. He’s very smart. He tries on defense, he has good technique. He’s learned a lot since he’s been here. And as you saw the other day, he had some athleticism with the dunk that he had going baseline. But then he made a three right in front of our bench, with a little dribble, dribble stepback. He has some game to him, and a little toughness. He’s a pleasure to have around.
I asked Stephen Silas about the story of Brodric Thomas, who appears poised to defy the odds as an undrafted rookie from Division II Truman State by earning a spot on the #Rockets regular-season roster.
"He has been very, very consistent, and that’s what you want from a rookie." pic.twitter.com/ULc10WDIsx
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) December 19, 2020
Thomas went undrafted after playing in college at Truman State, a Division II school based in Kirksville, Missouri.
Thomas joins guard Mason Jones — an undrafted rookie out of Arkansas — as the current recipients of Houston’s two two-way contracts.
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