When asked about young players at Houston Rockets training camp for the 2020-21 NBA season, head coach Stephen Silas said Tuesday that there was one clear standout after the team’s first three practices.
“The one guy that stands out the most that people don’t really know of and doesn’t get the notoriety is Jae’Sean Tate, who played overseas in Australia and has really been a pleasant surprise,” Silas said.
“He has good size, he can play multiple positions on both ends of the floor. He’s an exciting player that I think everybody will enjoy watching.”
Silas said rookie guards Brodric Thomas and Mason Jones had also shown encouraging signs early in training camp at Toyota Center.
Stephen Silas: "The one guy that stands out the most that people don't really know of and doesn't get the notoriety is Jae’Sean Tate… He had good size, he can play multiple positions on both ends of the floor. He's an exciting player that I think everybody will enjoy watching." pic.twitter.com/B5F5I9Mj0O
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) December 8, 2020
Now 25 years old, Tate played for the Sydney Kings last season in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), where the team’s head coach was new Houston assistant Will Weaver. Tate signed a free agent contract with the Rockets in the 2020 offseason for up to three years.
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Tate played his college basketball at Ohio State (2014-2018) before joining the Antwerp Giants (2018-19) in Belgium and then Sydney (2019-20) last season. While he’s only 6-foot-4, he weighs 230 pounds and is strong and versatile enough to play on the front line.
Here’s how John Hollinger of The Athletic described Tate as part of a recent scouting report on free agents at small forward:
The Ohio State product had a massive year in Australia after a solid 2019 Summer League; as such, he’s quickly become one of the most highly-regarded players based outside the U.S. … Tate is listed at just 6-4 but has a strong frame and plus athleticism; he is comfortable battling in the paint and actually played power forward in Australia. His 3-point shot (40.5 percent in Australia last year, just 27.7 percent in college) will be the swing skill for him.
Tate’s rugged strength and versatility could fit well in Houston, where 6-foot-5 forward P.J. Tucker has been valued immensely in recent years.
Friday’s preseason opener in Chicago will represent the first game opportunity for prospects like Tate, Brown, and Thomas to make a further impression. With superstar guard James Harden likely unavailable after a delayed start to training camp and the league’s COVID-19 entry protocols, that could lead to additional minutes for younger players.
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Says Mason Jones has been "very good" as well.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) December 8, 2020