Ime Udoka has a type.
Skill? What’s that? Shooting? In basketball?
Why?
Hustle? Welcome to the team. Jokes aside, an organizational emphasis on effort is not an inherent disadvantage. Last offseason, the Rockets overindexed on size and defense. I personally think it’s unfair to retcon a Dorian Finney-Smith signing that would have made sense if his game hadn’t fallen off a cliff into a canyon full of killer bees whilst coated in honey, but signing Clint Capela was overkill.
Such is life. The Rockets should
be looking to add some secondary ball-handling and additional shooting this summer. They need reliable rotation players – so, looking to the second round of the NBA Draft would be misguided. That’s a place where they can grab another Udoka guy:
And Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu is his dream come true.
Rockets must look at a young big man in the second round
A conspiracy theorist may suggest that Udoka built Chinyelu in a lab.
He’s 6’11” with an unfathomable 7’7″.5 wingspan. I’m jealous. If I were 5’11” (as I am) with a 6’7″.5 wingspan, I’d be able to write these articles and stir pasta at the same time. As it stands, the laptop is too close to the stove.
Chinyelu is a solid rim protector. His 4.2% block percentage is high, but not exceptional. Yet, sometimes, strong rim protectors eschew blocks in favor of collecting rebounds.
That would be the case with Chinyelu.
How good a rebounder is this kid? How about the best in college basketball last year? Chinyulu’s 24.2% Rebounding Percentage was the best mark in the entire NCAA in the 2025-26 season.
If the Rockets can’t get him in the second round, Ime Udoka may quit on the spot.
Rockets could find a long-term rotation player in Chinyelu
Best of all, he should be gettable.
Let’s talk about (much to Udoka’s chagrin) the other end of the floor. Chinyelu doesn’t do much. He is the quintessential lob threat, and otherwise…yeah.
The league is basically trending away from these guys. The more skill you can put on the floor, the better. That’s why Chinyelu is a projected second-round pick.
Ultimately, that’s the point here. The Rockets surely aren’t approaching the second round of the draft in search of a franchise-altering talent. I’d argue that Chinyelu has a higher chance of being a long-term rotation guy than the vast majority of second-round picks. He’ll offer 10 to 15 minutes of raw kinetic energy per game, and then he’ll check back out.
The Rockets should get him. He’s a culture fit. He has one clearly projectable NBA skill, and that’s a lot when it comes to the second round. They should even package their pair of second-rounders to move up and grab him if the opportunity arises.
If nothing else, they’ll make Udoka’s day.
