Tag: Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Rockets sending rookie Cam Whitmore to NBA G League affiliate

With playing time scarce at the NBA level, the Rockets are sending rookie prospect Cam Whitmore to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, their G League affiliate club.

With playing time scarce at the NBA level, the Rockets are sending rookie prospect Cam Whitmore to the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, their NBA G League developmental affiliate. The news was first reported by Michael Shapiro of Chron.com.

Whitmore, who played college basketball at Villanova, was drafted at No. 20 in the 2023 first round. From there, Whitmore quickly turned heads by winning MVP of the NBA’s 2023 summer league and leading the Rockets to a runner-up finish in Las Vegas.

But at just 19 years old, the versatile 6-foot-7 wing is easily the youngest player on Houston’s roster, and head coach Ime Udoka appears to be prioritizing his bench minutes for veteran role players who can help the team win more games this season.

Thus, rather than sit on the bench and only play sparingly in mop-up duty during the fourth quarter of blowouts, it makes more sense to send Whitmore to Rio Grande, with which he can receive more consistent playing time to bolster his longer-term development.

Whitmore and the Vipers will begin their 2023-24 season (schedule) on Friday, Nov. 10 in Memphis. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Central.

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NBA G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers finalize 2023-24 training camp roster

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, the NBA G League Affiliate of the Houston Rockets, have finalized their 2023-24 training camp roster.

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, the NBA G League Affiliate of the Houston Rockets, finalized their 2023-24 training camp roster. RGV’s full schedule, which begins Nov. 10, is available here.

According to the team, the Vipers’ training camp roster includes returning players from the 2022-23 season: Trhae Mitchell (fourth season), Ray Spalding (fourth season), Shawn Occeus (fourth season), Josh Reaves (third season), Darius Days (second season), Jalen Lecque (second season) and Jarrett Culver (second season).

Also joining the Vipers’ training camp roster is Latvia native and forward Ricards Vanags, who was selected as the No. 10 pick during the G League’s 2023-24 international draft.

During the 2023 NBA G League draft, the Vipers selected forward Kyree Walker with the No. 62 pick. After the draft, the Vipers acquired Keyshawn Bryant from the Windy City Bulls.

RGV’s training camp roster stands at 18 and can be found below. It includes three players — Nate Hinton, Jermaine Samuels Jr. and Nate Williams — on two-way contracts with the Rockets.

Name Pos. HT WT School Status
Keyshawn Bryant F 6-6 190 South Florida Trade
Jarrett Culver G 6-6 195 Texas Tech Returning
Darius Days F 6-8 240 LSU Affiliate
Nate Hinton F 6-5 210 University of Houston Two-way
Bo Hodges  G 6-5 210 Butler Tryout
John Knight III  G 6-3 205 Southern Utah Tryout
Jalen Lecque G 6-4 185 — Returning
Matthew Mayer F 6-9 225 University of Illinois Affiliate
Trhae Mitchell F 6-6 195 South Alabama Returning
Joshua Obiesie F 6-6 196 — Affiliate
Shawn Occeus  F 6-4 210 Northeastern Returning
Josh Reaves G 6-5 214 Penn State Returning
Alex Reese C 6-9 245 Alabama Tryout
Jermaine Samuels F 6-7 230 Villanova Two-way
Ray Spalding F 6-10 215 Louisville Returning
Ricards Vanags F 6-8 182 — International Draft
Kyree Walker  F 6-7 215 — Draft
Jeenathan “Nate” Williams Jr. G 6-5 205 University at Buffalo Two-way

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Rio Grande Valley Vipers release 2023-24 NBA G League schedule

Houston’s NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (@RGVVipers), released its complete schedule for the 2023-24 season. Here’s a look at the highlights.

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, the NBA G League affiliate of the Houston Rockets, announced their 2023-24 schedule.

This season’s Vipers schedule features 50 games, including 24 home matchups at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas; 24 games on the road; and two games at the G League Winter Showcase.

For a third straight season, the schedule is split into two parts: a 16-game Showcase Cup and a subsequent 34-game regular season. The Showcase Cup begins Friday, Nov. 10 and finishes with a single-elimination tournament to crown a champion at the 2023 AT&T NBA G League Winter Showcase from Dec. 19-22.

Following the Showcase Cup, records for the 31 teams will reset in advance of a 34-game regular season, which tips off Dec. 27.

Television details are not available, though most games last season were available on either an ESPN network or the ESPN+ streaming service. RGV’s 2023-24 roster is not known, either, though it could feature two-way Rockets players Trevor Hudgins, Darius Days and Jermaine Samuels Jr., along with 2023 summer-league standouts Matthew Mayer and Nate Hinton.

Scroll on for a month-by-month breakdown of Vipers’ 2023-24 slate for the regular season, which they hope will be followed by another strong postseason run. The Vipers advanced to the NBA G League finals in both 2022 and 2023. They won it all in 2022.

With playing time scarce, Rockets assign rookie TyTy Washington to G League

With Kevin Porter Jr. back in the lineup and playing time more scarce, the #Rockets are assigning rookie guard TyTy Washington to the @RGVVipers, their NBA G League affiliate.

In the team’s final six games of February, rookie guard TyTy Washington averaged 25.9 minutes and made the first two starts of his NBA career as the Houston Rockets navigated Kevin Porter Jr.’s injury absence.

In the first four games of March with Porter back in the lineup, Washington played 15 combined minutes. Most of those came in the fourth quarter of games that were already decided. The Rockets used Daishen Nix or Jae’Sean Tate as the primary ballhandler during any competitive minutes without Porter.

For Washington, drafted at No. 29 in the 2022 first round out of the University of Kentucky, simply sitting on the bench during his rookie season isn’t ideal for development. Thus, the Rockets decided Wednesday to assign Washington to the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, their NBA G League affiliate.

In previous G League stints with the Vipers, Washington has averaged 33.3 points (45.8% FG, 41.9% on 3-pointers), 7.3 assists, and 6.3 rebounds in 38.8 minutes per game.

That shooting efficiency hasn’t yet translated to the NBA level, where Washington is shooting just 35.9% from the field and 22.4% on 3-pointers. But it’s still very early in Washington’s development cycle, and this latest stint should give him more opportunities to build confidence before returning to the Rockets later this season.

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OKC Blue: Olivier Sarr dominates in 125-117 loss to G League’s Vipers

Recapping the OKC Blue’s 125-117 loss to the G League’s Vipers on Friday.

The OKC Blue lost to the G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Friday in a 125-117 defeat. The loss drops the Blue’s record to 9-15 on the season.

Let’s take a look at some of the notable individual performances from this afternoon game:

  • Olivier Sarr: 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, nine rebounds, three blocks, three assists
  • Robert Woodard II: 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting, 4-of-8 shooting from 3, six rebounds, five assists
  • Jahmi’us Ramsey: 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting, four assists
  • Lindy Waters III: nine points on 4-of-9 shooting
  • Jarrett Culver: 31 points on 13-of-26 shooting, eight rebounds
  • Darius Days: 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting, 4-of-9 shooting from 3, seven rebounds
  • Jalen Lecque: 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists

Here are the full highlights from the Blue’s eight-point loss to the Houston Rockets’ G League affiliate:

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Rockets recall TyTy Washington after scoring 53 points in NBA G League

After going for 53 points (45.5% FG) and 10 rebounds with the @RGVVipers in Friday’s G League game, the #Rockets recalled rookie guard TyTy Washington to their NBA roster.

In his rookie season, University of Kentucky product TyTy Washington would undoubtedly love to be playing for the Houston Rockets. But with his team mostly healthy, the No. 29 draft pick from the 2022 first round has made the most of an NBA G League stint.

In Friday’s game (box score) with the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, Houston’s G League affiliate, Washington put up an astonishing 53 points and 10 rebounds on 15-of-33 shooting (45.5%), 6-of-17 on 3-pointers (35.3%), and 11-of-12 from the free-throw line (91.7%).

It’s hardly an isolated game for the 6-foot-3 guard, who has averaged 33.3 points (46.5% FG, 41.9% on 3-pointers), 7.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 38.8 minutes per game in the G League.

Washington hasn’t yet found a consistent role with the Rockets, who usually have Kevin Porter Jr. as their starting point guard.

But with Porter currently sidelined by a left foot contusion, the Rockets recalled Washington to their NBA roster on Saturday, and he’ll be with the team in Los Angeles for back-to-back games over the next two days against the Clippers and Lakers.

Scroll on for highlights and further analysis.

OKC Blue: Lindy Waters III’s 30 points leads to 122-117 win over G League’s Vipers

A quick recap of the OKC Blue’s win that saw Lindy Waters III and Jalen Lecque each score 30 points along with a surprise cameo from Andre Roberson.

The OKC Blue won a close contest against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, 122-117, in G League action on Tuesday.

The Blue is 2-1. Here are some notable performances from the game against the Houston Rockets G League affiliate:

Lindy Waters III: 30 points on 9-of-15 shooting, 5-of-10 from 3, 10 rebounds, six assists

DJ Wilson: 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting, 4-of-6 from 3, 13 rebounds, seven assists

Robert Woodard II: 24 points on 8-of-9 shooting, six rebounds

Jalen Lecque: 30 points on 10-of-22 shooting, 2-of-10 from 3, 10 assists, five rebounds, four steals

Darius Days: 21 points on 8-of-25 shooting, 11 rebounds

Former Thunder guard Andre Roberson was also in attendance for the game. Roberson is practicing for the Blue.

Roberson spent six of his seven NBA seasons with the Thunder, where he averaged 4.6 points and four rebounds in 302 career games. Known for his elite defense, Roberson helped lead the Thunder on that end of the floor during his tenure.

Here are the highlights of the game:

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Rockets coach Stephen Silas explains Josh Christopher’s trip to G League

“It’s not a demotion at all, and he doesn’t see it as a demotion,” #Rockets coach Stephen Silas says of Josh Christopher’s G League stint. “He needed some minutes.”

HOUSTON — As the Rockets concluded practice Saturday at Toyota Center, one familiar face usually seen putting up extra shots afterward was missing. Second-year guard Josh Christopher was not in attendance. He had been sent to the team’s NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, a day earlier.

Christopher, 21, received only five minutes of playing time in the 118-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. All came after the game was out of reach. It had become a recurring theme.

Head coach Stephen Silas believes assigning Christopher to the G League will help him get his rhythm back and earn him more playing time in a rotation in which he has consistently been behind Daishen Nix and Garrison Mathews to start the 2022-23 season.

“He needed some minutes, he needed to get out there and play,” Silas said after Saturday’s practice. “He needed to get his confidence back, and just let it flow a little bit. He had a great game last night (Friday), and he is going to play again today, and then he will be back, and we will see what happens after that.”

“But we have talked and had a bunch of conversations about it. We value him so much that for him to get out of rhythm and for him to get spot minutes here and there, it made sense for him to be able to go on a back-to-back and play a couple of games or so for the Vipers.”

In his first Vipers appearance, Christopher helped RGV extend its winning streak to eight games. He finished with 35 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds in Friday’s game versus the Lakeland Magic.

In his Saturday remarks, Silas emphasized that sending the No. 24 overall draft pick out of the NBA’s 2021 first round to RGV was not a demotion, adding that Christopher welcomed the opportunity to get more minutes in a competitive setting.

“For him to want to go down and take the time, to not have any kind of animosity or feel bad about it, just go down there and hoop and then get 35 last night says a lot about what his character is, and who he is as a person and a player,” Silas said. “So, yeah, it’s not a demotion at all, and he doesn’t see it as a demotion. His perspective, his personality, everything about him is really good.”

Christopher is expected to rejoin the Rockets on Sunday before the 6 p.m. tipoff versus the Milwaukee Bucks at Toyota Center.

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TyTy Washington drops Bruno Caboclo in NBA G League; Twitter explodes

In an NBA G League matchup, fans reacted with astonishment after seeing #Rockets rookie TyTy Washington drop Bruno Caboclo to the floor with an impressive move.

Rockets rookie TyTy Washington, drafted at No. 29 in the 2022 first round out of Kentucky, is beginning his career as the starting point guard for Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers. And he’s already making quite an impression.

In Monday’s road game against the Capitanes, Washington dropped Mexico City big man Bruno Caboclo — formerly a member of the Rockets — to the ground with an epic move before drilling a 3-pointer. It reminded many on social media of the legendary crossover performed by James Harden on Clippers guard Wesley Johnson during the former’s 2017-18 MVP season with Houston.

Washington has quite a ways to go to reach those lofty heights, but he is off to a good start in the G League. In Monday’s game (box score), Washington scored 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting (58.8%) and 3-of-8 on 3-pointers (37.5%) while also recording 5 rebounds, 4 assists, no turnovers and leading his team to a road victory.

Here’s a look at Washington’s move against Caboclo, along with how fans reacted across Twitter and social media.

Rockets coach Stephen Silas explains lack of playing time for Josh Christopher

“We have 13 guys who deserve playing time, and it’s not always an easy call as far as who gets to play and who doesn’t,” Stephen Silas says regarding Josh Christopher’s lack of minutes.

HOUSTON — On Friday, the Rockets finally had a chance to practice on their home court of Toyota Center after completing the first three legs of a four-game road trip, which concludes Saturday versus the regional rival Pelicans at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans.

Even though they have gone 1-2 thus far, Houston competed very hard in both losses, as they have done for most of the 12 games they have played this season. Head coach Stephen Silas has had to do what he has done in previous years by putting together rotations that are forced to learn continuity throughout the games.

One person who has not yet been part of that rotation on a consistent basis is second-year player Josh Christopher, who is averaging 8.6 minutes per game in the eight games he has appeared. His stat line read, “DNP (did not play) coach’s decision” in three of the last four games the Rockets played.

“We have 13 guys who deserve playing time, and it’s not always an easy call as far as who gets to play and who doesn’t,” Silas said after practice on Friday. “I had a conversation with Josh after a few games. His minutes were up and down. I was trying to play 11 and told him it’s going to be hard to play him for the next few games. I want to see other combinations, other guys.”

“He’s going to get his opportunity. He’s a great worker. He stays positive with this team. He stays engaged in practice. Trust me, he’s going to get to play. It’s coming.”

Christopher was selected with the No. 24 overall pick by the Rockets in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft. Most of his rookie minutes were spent playing behind Jalen Green and Eric Gordon, but he sometimes relieved Kevin Porter Jr. at point guard.

Silas would like to see him play more on the perimeter this season, which has a logjam with minutes given to Green, Gordon, KJ Martin, Garrison Mathews and rookie Tari Eason.

“One of the things I like about Josh is he is a player who plays downhill and he is aggressive, and he can be a spark off the bench and can get into the paint or shoot threes,” Silas said. “His playmaking is coming, but right now, he is more of a wing for me than he is a point guard.”

Last season, the Rockets sent Christopher to their G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, to get developmental minutes at different positions. Even so, Silas was stern in responding to that suggestion for Christopher this season.

“I dont think that going to RGV is bad for anybody, but he is not going,” said Silas.

After Friday’s post-practice media availability, Silas alluded to staying patient as he continues to put a rotation together that has been hampered by injuries and illnesses.

“Just give it a little more time and I think you all will see things come together,” Silas said as he walked off the court.

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