http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4093884.html By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle With their summer remodeling largely complete, the Rockets began filling out their roster for training camp Thursday, reaching an agreement with guard Kelenna Azubuike on a non-guaranteed contract. The 6-5 Azubuike was impressive with Denver's summer league team in Las Vegas, making 57.9 percent of his shots while averaging 16.4 points. He averaged 23 points and seven rebounds in the last two games. A teammate of Rockets forward Chuck Hayes at Kentucky, Azubuike led the Wildcats in scoring (14.7 points) and was an All-SEC second-team selection. Undrafted after the 2004-05 college season, he went to training camp with the Cleveland Cavaliers last year, averaging seven points and three rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game in five preseason outings. Azubuike averaged 12.6 points on 50.8 percent shooting, and 30.6 percent 3-point shooting, with the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBA Development League last season. If Azubuike makes the Rockets' regular-season roster, he would be the fourth recent Kentucky player on the team, joining Hayes, Keith Bogans (now with the Orlando Magic) and Gerald Fitch (who never played for the Rockets before he was released).
Froom Moochie to Boki back to Moochie and now to Buike. The river of history flows on... Now if we can just get Mookie to come to HOU as an assistant coach...
was this the dude someone mentioned in another thread that was working out for the Rockets like a few weeks ago while the poster was touring the Toyota Center?
Interesting. It's a non-guaranteed deal, but that puts us at 15 guys on the roster right now. I mean he can easily be cut during training camp, but I sort of excepted them to add another big man before Azubuike. Still, he's an easy guy to root for. I hope he can make the roster.
interesting i wonder if he will be sent to the DL to work on his game. good to see us pick up some young athletic talent on the cheap. I dont expect anything from him but figure him to be a replacement for sura next year if he develops. Who knows maybe he may avg 2ppg this year too. anyways its a bit late but yeah hopefully someone can dig up some vids of him
Yes he's the one. He seems to me to be the kind of undiscovered gem that goes undrafted. He has a future in this league as a valuable role player at the least. Glad to see the Rockets give him a chance to make that happen.
Well at least he's athletic as hell, and like m_cable said, he's easy to root for with all the crap that happened with his dad and such. So, you guys think that means there is DEFINITELY a trade in the works for a big man?
They are still trying to land someone with the $4.2 TPE and I am confident they will get it done before the end of trade dealine next February. It looks like the trade market is slow now. So for now, we go to battle with the followwing big men: 4s: Howard, Battier, Hayes. 5s: Yao, Mutombo. Not excellent but not bad either as long as Mac and Yao are taking care of business. I am rooting to Kelenna to stick with this team. Maybe the light has come on - he could be our McCants.
I like his name, therefore, this is a good signing. thadeus: Bringing deep basketball insight to the ClutchBBS since 1987.
