[The Athletic] How fate took Danuel House from a charity game to a starter in Clutch City

Deuce · Jan 8, 2019

@KellyUnchained

GotGame15 · Jan 8, 2019

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tmac2therack · Jan 8, 2019

Great article, I was actually at that charity game, House and Royce O'Neale both balled out in it and now both are playing in the league.

Lawlruschang · Jan 8, 2019

https://theathletic.com/752216/2019...-from-charity-game-to-starter-in-clutch-city/

Anyone got it 4 us?

Not sure if correct forum/title/tags

RHU525 · Jan 8, 2019

Can someone post the full article? I don't want to set up a subscription.

MghtyPtrck · Jan 8, 2019

How fate took Danuel House from a charity game to a starter in Clutch City

Kelly Iko Jan 8, 2019
Before the belly of Toyota Center is fed with tens of thousands of rambunctious fans and foes, before DJ T-Gray’s illustrious array of sounds echo across the chambers, it’s eerily quiet. The only sounds are the ones coming from the other end of the floor, nearly three hours before tip-off. Danuel House, hometown hero and two-way savant, is going through a rather odd shooting drill with a development coach.

House’s appearance — sweat colonizing his face, his shirt, now different shades of brown from wiping said sweat — aligns more so with an overtime performance than a pregame workout, but this is the best time to get **** done. “Continue to work,” House always says. “Work when no one sees you. Work when people are asleep. Work in the morning. My regimen is I worked three times a day last year. I take my weight lifting program seriously, take my diet seriously, and lock in and focus on every aspect of my game.”

He stood in the left corner, a position he’s become increasingly familiar with in the month-plus he’s been a Rocket, usually waiting for a pass from James Harden. But today he has a special request: throw a bad pass on purpose, and don’t pass the ball until he’s started falling down.

He misses the first one. And the second. It’s quite the sight to behold, seeing House twist his body and focus on hitting a now incredibly difficult three-pointer. “Damn it,” he laughs.

House goes on to miss three more attempts before he hits one, but that’s all he needs right now. His fist pumps ever so slightly, followed by his trademark side grin.

“There we go!”

House works on shots like this outside of his normal regime. They match his career, which has taken a similar path — wild and unpredictable. “I work on taking difficult shots in my workout and even playing around with guys,” he explains. “When the adrenaline is pumping during game time, your body is prepared because you’ve been through the awkward stages.”

Preparation and opportunity met in New Orleans on Dec. 29, when an errant pass from Eric Gordon found its way to House, in the left corner. With the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis charging toward him and the shot clock winding down, House soared to catch the ball and had just enough time to hoist up a prayer before the buzzer sounded. With the ball still in midair, he jogged back on defense, knowing what would come next.

Swish.

“I knew it was good, that’s why I started backpedaling,” House said, shrugging his shoulders. “(The) first thing I wanted to do is make sure I caught the ball because it was a higher pass. So I caught it, and once I saw AD right there, I hurried up and shot it.”
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MghtyPtrck · Jan 8, 2019

His confidence has taken him a long way in life; nearly anyone who’s encountered House will testify of his best quality. It made him a standout player at Hightower High in Missouri City, Texas, where he put up big numbers while attracting the likes of Kansas, Georgetown and Ohio State recruiters. He listened to offers, but past experiences on the road while playing AAU ball, and love for his parents and family, pushed him to stay in state with the University of Houston. “It was a lot going on,” House says of his younger hooping days.

Life as a Cougar was pleasant, to say the least. His high-flying, end-to-end prowess earned him Freshman of the Year honors in Conference USA. His second season was steady as he averaged 13 points. But something was missing. House yearned for something more, something different. After discussion with his family, he decided to take his talents to College Station, some 45 minutes outside of Houston.

“My time at UH was really great,” he recalls fondly. ” But I feel like I grew even more as a player, developing Danuel House, when I went to (Texas) A&M because it was a bigger venue and we played great competition every night in the SEC.”

House always knew he wanted the bright lights, the crazy crowds, the energy. He hit the ground running as an Aggie, continuing to grow into his junior body while increasing his scoring to 16 a night and nabbing first-team All-SEC honors. During his senior season, A&M’s success was directly tied to House, who led Bill Kennedy’s team to a 28-9 record, including 13-5 in conference play. The Aggies were one of the No. 3 seeds in the 2016 NCAA Tournament, where they ultimately fell in the Sweet 16 to Oklahoma, a No. 2 seed.

House’s valiant efforts had reached national recognition as he earned honorable mention All-America status. That wasn’t enough to get him drafted by the NBA.

His demeanor changes when he harks back to those times. “Yeah, it put a huge chip on my shoulder cause I was honorable mention All-American,” he recalls about going undrafted. “So you think you’re considered in that category of possibly getting your number called. It didn’t go that way for me, and all it did was put me in the dungeon, close my eyes and keep pushing.”

He eventually signed with Washington in September and made his NBA debut on Nov. 11. That didn’t even last a minute. House snagged a rebound in the 50 seconds he was on the floor against Cleveland. But who cares? Baby steps, baby steps. “It was nervousness because it’s a big stage,” House said of playing in front of an NBA crowd. “But it’s also excitement.”

That rebound turned out to be especially significant because that was the only league action House would see that year. And for a while. A nasty wrist injury kept him on the sidelines, causing him to miss nearly 50 combined games between the Wizards and their affiliate, the Delaware 87ers. Washington waived him in March 2017, and House was again without a team. There’s not a system for tracking the size of chips on shoulders; Synergy hasn’t come out with such technology yet. But damn, it was big.
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MghtyPtrck · Jan 8, 2019

His confidence has taken him a long way in life; nearly anyone who’s encountered House will testify of his best quality. It made him a standout player at Hightower High in Missouri City, Texas, where he put up big numbers while attracting the likes of Kansas, Georgetown and Ohio State recruiters. He listened to offers, but past experiences on the road while playing AAU ball, and love for his parents and family, pushed him to stay in state with the University of Houston. “It was a lot going on,” House says of his younger hooping days.

Life as a Cougar was pleasant, to say the least. His high-flying, end-to-end prowess earned him Freshman of the Year honors in Conference USA. His second season was steady as he averaged 13 points. But something was missing. House yearned for something more, something different. After discussion with his family, he decided to take his talents to College Station, some 45 minutes outside of Houston.

“My time at UH was really great,” he recalls fondly. ” But I feel like I grew even more as a player, developing Danuel House, when I went to (Texas) A&M because it was a bigger venue and we played great competition every night in the SEC.”

House always knew he wanted the bright lights, the crazy crowds, the energy. He hit the ground running as an Aggie, continuing to grow into his junior body while increasing his scoring to 16 a night and nabbing first-team All-SEC honors. During his senior season, A&M’s success was directly tied to House, who led Bill Kennedy’s team to a 28-9 record, including 13-5 in conference play. The Aggies were one of the No. 3 seeds in the 2016 NCAA Tournament, where they ultimately fell in the Sweet 16 to Oklahoma, a No. 2 seed.

House’s valiant efforts had reached national recognition as he earned honorable mention All-America status. That wasn’t enough to get him drafted by the NBA.

His demeanor changes when he harks back to those times. “Yeah, it put a huge chip on my shoulder cause I was honorable mention All-American,” he recalls about going undrafted. “So you think you’re considered in that category of possibly getting your number called. It didn’t go that way for me, and all it did was put me in the dungeon, close my eyes and keep pushing.”

He eventually signed with Washington in September and made his NBA debut on Nov. 11. That didn’t even last a minute. House snagged a rebound in the 50 seconds he was on the floor against Cleveland. But who cares? Baby steps, baby steps. “It was nervousness because it’s a big stage,” House said of playing in front of an NBA crowd. “But it’s also excitement.”

That rebound turned out to be especially significant because that was the only league action House would see that year. And for a while. A nasty wrist injury kept him on the sidelines, causing him to miss nearly 50 combined games between the Wizards and their affiliate, the Delaware 87ers. Washington waived him in March 2017, and House was again without a team. There’s not a system for tracking the size of chips on shoulders; Synergy hasn’t come out with such technology yet. But damn, it was big.
Click to expand...

MghtyPtrck · Jan 8, 2019

House resorted to self-sustained workouts and hoop runs, trying to keep himself in shape while he waited for the phone to ring. That summer it did, but it wasn’t an NBA team just yet. Harden was throwing his inaugural charity weekend, which would feature an exhibition game and stars like DeMar DeRozan and John Wall. House was eager to participate and made his presence felt with an array of ferocious dunks, fancy dribbles and hustle.

Harden was impressed, and the two talked for a while. He made it clear to House that an opportunity with the Rockets wasn’t impossible, and Harden was in his corner supporting. “We just talked about it,” House says of the idea of suiting up for Houston. “He always told me to continue to get better. ‘You’re doing a good job. Try to take it up another notch. When you feel like you’re in full gear, I think you have another gear or two gears.’ “

Sure enough, two months later, House joined the Rockets for training camp. He didn’t survive the final roster cuts, but management still held him in high regard, so House joined up with their G-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. They are cut from the same cloth as the high-scoring, three-point launching Rockets, and they clicked instantly with House. For the next two months, he would put up an impressive 18-6-3, with NBA teams circling like vultures. Because of the CBA stipulations, Phoenix was able to pluck him and sign him to a two-way deal, and Houston could do nothing about it but hope he would somehow fall into their hands once more.

They invited him last year to join up with the team in Las Vegas, where the Summer League was about to kick off. At this point, House was grinning from ear to ear. “I felt really fortunate because I played with RGV before that,” he says. “Getting that chance to come back and play for them in the Summer League, I was super happy.”

House took on a mentoring role with the Rockets, bridging the gap between the younger players and management, while also leading the team in scoring. But his most recognizable trait during his time in Vegas? “Probably his inner confidence,” said assistant coach Brett Gunning, who was the head coach of the Summer Rockets.

“He plays like he belongs here. You see a lot of the NBA is that, guys that have that inner belief in themselves. There are some guys that find themselves out of the league at times. And a lot of times it just comes back to the fact that whether it was doubt or unbelief, it’s a fine line. With Danuel, he believes that he belongs, and he brings that swagger to the court.”

Golden State had been keeping close tabs on House in Vegas, so it was no surprise when they offered an Exhibit 10 contract, bringing him on for training camp. “I thought he was really good for our team,” said Willie Green, an assistant coach with the Warriors. “(He) came in with energy, and he’s a really good shooter. Seemed like he fit in well with our guys.”

His time in the Bay only lasted three weeks, as their roster situation sorted itself out. “He almost made the team,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It came down to Danuel and Alfonzo (McKinnie), Danuel was great. He was very close to making our team.”

Was he back at square one? Again? Certainly, becoming a journeyman has its mental effects, as staying positive becomes the primary objective. “I mean, it just made me open my eyes and made me put my head down and work harder,” House explained. “Trying to get better at my craft, every aspect of my game. It just pushed my hunger, cause I knew I could play at the next level and I just needed to work a little bit harder to get where I needed to be.”

Around November, as fate would have it, Houston would endure a nasty injury spell. The Rockets were struggling, and badly in need of bodies. House, at the time, was back in Rio with the Vipers. So when the phone rang, he didn’t even need to hear the end of the conversation — he was ecstatic.

“(Danuel) should have been with us a couple of times before,” assistant coach and head of player development John Lucas said, shaking his head. “I’ve known Danuel since he was in junior high school. We’ve always worked on his game. But he just continued the work. Very proud of him. A heart of gold. A good genuine heart.”

Why does it mean so much to House to play in his hometown? Wouldn’t he be comfortable playing for any team in the league? “Because we represent this,” he says pounding his chest. “This is the culture. Just to represent Houston, being from Houston, just to show people from Houston that anything is possible is the best feeling in the world.”
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MghtyPtrck · Jan 8, 2019

Gerald Green sits by his locker, bumping some underground rap no one’s heard before. Houston rap has a distinct blend and sound to it, from the tempo to the ebb and flow. Green has a unique catalog, including tracks he’s created on his own, but that’s a story for another day. Chris Paul, a few lockers down, catches wind of the melody. “Is this a dub?” Paul says, nodding his head. House, who by this time is already dressed, is eager to find out who the secret artist is. “I was expecting some tippin’ on fo’ fo’s, candy paint,” House says. “That ain’t it, chief?” Green simply laughs and shakes his head.

The significance of House suiting up for the Rockets runs deeper than just himself and his family. Green, his teammate and another Houston native, has been in seventh heaven since House’s arrival. The two go way back, to earlier, simpler times. They are always talking, whether it’s Green showing House where he messed up on a defensive play or joking around in the locker room.

“I been knowing Gerald since middle school, our relationship is great,” House says. “He’s an OG to me, I listen to everything he says. I take what he says really seriously to the heart because he’s a fellow Houstonian. We just been hooping against each other in the summertime, trying to make each other better.”

Green offers the same sentiment, taking on the role of a big brother and mentor to House. They share a bond in being from the same city, sharing a passion of putting on the jersey for the place they call home, and striving to bring energy and passion to a city thirsty for a championship. “I’ve been knowing D. House a long time, man,” Green says.

“Just growing up in Houston, hooping. He went to my little brother’s high school. I just watched him grow from being the player he was then ’til now. The development and stuff like that, I’m just so proud of him, man. As a young kid his age, he can really not only make an impact for kids around the world, but kids where we grew up at. Where there’s poverty, where it’s tough, a lot of people don’t make it where we come from. Just to see him being successful, taking on his role and this opportunity, it really means a lot to me.”

House was initially brought in for depth purposes, but untimely injuries to Gordon, Paul and James Ennis thrust him into the starting lineup. Since then, Houston has won six of seven with him.

Harden, whose MVP-worthy performances obviously have a huge role in Houston’s surge, has seen firsthand the effects of House around the team. “He’s more confident,” Harden said. “With the amount of minutes he’s playing, coach has a lot of confidence in us as a group. Defensively, be active, get steals, rebound the basketball and offensively, make shots and be active. He’s been in the lineup the last few games and he’s done an unbelievable job, and will continue to get better each game.”

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni doesn’t like to change what works, and House in the lineup works. “Danuel finds a way, and does what we need him to do,” the offensive guru remarked. “It’s good to know we can trust him.”

Jeff Bzdelik, the Rockets defensive coordinator, went a step further to examine his two-way potential, which is crucial to Houston’s switching scheme.

“First of all, he’s very physical,” said Bzdelik. “He has great energy, a great desire to learn. He’s coachable, he picks things up real fast. He just has a very aggressive mentality about him and takes pride in his ability to guard. Without question, because he can guard multiple positions because of his size, tenacity and aggressiveness.”

When he puts into perspective his incredible, unique journey, House gets very emotional. Somehow, the high-flying, slam-dunking kid from Hightower wound up with the Houston Rockets.

How long he stays could be decided soon. The Rockets traded Michael Carter-Williams on Jan. 7, saving money that could be used on House, whose allotted days on his two-way deal are nearing their limit.

“Just think about it,” he said. “My journey with the G-League, the process of getting waived, here, being there, going back down. That’s the thing that kept me strong throughout the process. That’s why I was able to maintain a level of consistency by not getting too high, not getting too low. I always knew that I belonged. I just needed an opportunity and a chance to showcase (it). I’m grateful for the Houston Rockets, my hometown team, for giving me that opportunity.”
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rockbox · Jan 8, 2019

Two local guys living the dream that we all have. Playing for the Houston Rockets. Love it.

joshuaao · Jan 8, 2019

Why does it mean so much to House to play in his hometown? Wouldn’t he be comfortable playing for any team in the league? “Because we represent this,” he says pounding his chest. “This is the culture. Just to represent Houston, being from Houston, just to show people from Houston that anything is possible is the best feeling in the world.”

DaDakota · Jan 8, 2019

If he is smart he signs a one year deal with a player option.....he is going to make a LOT of money in the league.

DD

mario elie · Jan 8, 2019

Get this man a contract, Morey!

ElPigto · Jan 8, 2019

joshuaao said: ↑

Why does it mean so much to House to play in his hometown? Wouldn’t he be comfortable playing for any team in the league? “Because we represent this,” he says pounding his chest. “This is the culture. Just to represent Houston, being from Houston, just to show people from Houston that anything is possible is the best feeling in the world.”
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This is why I love the GreenHouse effect, because they have as much love for this city as I do.

Roc Paint · Jan 8, 2019

Houston has always done well with their own

SLRokJok · Jan 8, 2019

Thanks Kelly

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[The Athletic] How fate took Danuel House from a charity game to a starter in Clutch City

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rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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[The Athletic] How fate took Danuel House from a charity game to a starter in Clutch City

Deuce Context & Nuance

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MghtyPtrck Member

rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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