After an injury-plagued rookie season with the Houston Rockets, 2021 first-round draft pick Usman Garuba had a very successful NBA offseason by helping lead his native Spain to glory at the recent European Basketball Championship (EuroBasket).
But, as Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said while the tournament was in progress, the key is whether the team and player can successfully translate that European play to NBA environments. On paper, the 6-foot-8 Garuba, who has bulked up to 253 pounds, could soon figure into the backup center mix behind Alperen Sengun.
