Projected Rockets Pick Could Give Houston Another Defensive Project

The Houston Rockets own the No. 39 pick in this year’s draft, and if recent history is any indication, Rafael Stone won’t be using it on a finished product. Enter Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso.

The Rockets’ roster is already stacked high with Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and a growing collection of young players competing for touches. What it could use is another defensive specialist with the physical tools to develop behind the scenes while contributing in a limited role.

That’s starting to sound a lot like Onyenso.

The 7-foot, 245-pound center averaged just 6.5 points and 4.9 rebounds for Virginia this regular season, but the shot-blocking is what has fans drooling.

Onyenso swatted 105 shots in 36 games while averaging only 18.6 minutes per night. His 17.6-percent block rate was one of the most eye-catching defensive marks in college basketball. To put another way, opponents had to think twice any time they venture near the rim.

That profile should sound familiar to Rockets fans. Stone is all about length, athleticism, and defensive upside. Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., and even Clint Capela during his first stint in Houston all fit that mold. Onyenso would represent another swing on physical tools rather than polished production. 

The offensive game remains a work in progress. He’s unlikely to arrive in Houston ready to anchor second units or command minutes immediately, which I think is perfectly fine for a second-round selection.

It’s the second-round. No one is expecting to nab a franchise cornerstone at 39th in line. However, finding a rotational rim protector on a second-round contract can pay dividends down the road, especially with expensive extensions already on the books and a slew of tougher financial decisions approaching. 

Cost-controlled depth is going to be key next season. Lack of trusted second-unit pieces is the likely cause of the embarrassing first-round exits that could very possibly take the form of a trend come April without course correction.

Houston also owns the No. 53 pick, giving the front office another opportunity to address a different need later in the draft, and that flexibility makes No. 39 an ideal spot to bet on upside.

Whether Onyenso ultimately becomes part of the Rockets’ long-term plans is TBD. What is easy to see is why a front office that values length, defense, and development would have interest in a player with his physical profile and production around the basket.

For any team looking to add another defensive project to the pipeline, Onyenso makes plenty of sense.