Ime Udoka coaching Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Houston Rockets have been one of the most surprising teams in the NBA in the 2024-25 season, and the team currently sits in second place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference ahead of Wednesday’s slate. It shouldn’t be that surprising when taking a deeper look at what the franchise has done to get to where it’s at right now. Everything starts with the hiring of Ime Udoka as head coach, though.
Prior to the hiring of Udoka, the Rockets were in the midst of a long rebuilding process that wasn’t expected to start paying dividends so soon. Houston had stockpiled young talent but it was still in its development phase. But the arrival of Udoka, who had turned heads with his previous coaching stint in Boston, sped that up. Udoka made his debut in the 2023-24 regular season and led the Rockets to a 41-41 record, but the team couldn’t reach the postseason despite a 19-game improvement from the year prior.
Some growth was expected for 2024-25, but not only that, Udoka has transformed this Houston team into a team no one will want to face in the playoffs. This Houston team currently ranks second in the West ahead of Wednesday’s slate with a 49-27 record, and they are showing no signs of slowing down as playoffs rapidly approach. The veteran leadership of players such as Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, coupled with the emergence of young stars such as Jalen Green, Amen Thompson and Alperen Şengün, has transformed the Rockets completely.
Houston is more than just its starting lineup, though. The team also has lots of depth. Steven Adams at center, the rotation of Jabari Smith and Tari Eason at power forward, and the contributions of 22-year-old Amen Thompson make Houston a team that can boast a nine-man rotation in any given game. That’s a luxury few teams in the NBA have this season. But most importantly, this team has an identity. Regardless of who’s on the court, you can always expect the same effort and grit from the Rockets.
For instance, the Rockets lead the league in certain hustle metrics like box outs and rank fourth in the league in defensive rating.
The scoring ability of Green, the experience of VanVleet and the all-around ability of Şengün grab most of the headlines, but Houston’s calling card is the intensity and the defensive grit. In a way, the Rockets share similarities and traits with the Detroit Pistons from the 2000s and the Memphis Grizzlies of the Zach Randolph era. Teams that make a living out of frustrating opponents, but this Houston group also has depth, length, and top-end athleticism.
That identity and intensity can only be attributed to Udoka. The 47-year-old head coach is having a tremendous tenure while leading the Rockets to the postseason. There may be teams in the West with far more postseason experience than this Houston group, and it’ll be on Udoka to get the most out of this group in the biggest moments of their young careers.
Regardless, this season has been a full installation of Udoka’s philosophy and has helped fuel a meteoric rise for the Rockets.
