After his 2022-23 rookie season with the Rockets, highly drafted rookie Jabari Smith Jr. (No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 first round) is among many Houston players adapting to a new approach.
Stephen Silas is out as head coach, and Ime Udoka is in. Veteran additions in free agency such as Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Jeff Green have increased the team’s goals entering 2023-24.
As of today, though, Udoka appears to be keeping it simple when it comes to his message to returning players. On a new episode of The Bradeaux & Will Show, Smith says of his new coach:
I got excited immediately with the hire. Just off his demeanor and what people say about him. He was in the Finals. That’s an accomplishment, itself. And seeing the Celtics play and their play style, you can only get excited about that.
Seeing how excited he was, that uplifted us alot. He came excited and said just play defense and have fun. All of that. Play defense, play hard, and play together. That was what he preached the most. Play the right way.
As far as using me, we haven’t talked about it much but I can tell based on what we’ve worked on that he’s going to put me in different situations that I wasn’t in last year. I’m excited about it.
Udoka will get much more in-depth, of course, when Houston’s training camp for the 2023-24 season begins in early October.
The complete podcast interview can be listened to below.
