[CHRON] Rockets' Snyder vows to make most of second chance

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His career was on the precipice again, ready to turn in one direction or the other. Kirk Snyder had to recognize his place on the brink, having been there so often.

He had washed out in Utah but then grew and contributed with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. He had dogged it through summer league and was traded to the Rockets for nothing but earned a place in the rotation of a winning team.

He had been hurt, healed, out of the rotation and back, and then got himself shoved to the inactive list for misbehavior at a practice. Yet, when he returns to Oklahoma City for the first time tonight, the 6-6 guard will be getting regular playing time and vying for a secure spot in the Rockets' rotation, another lesson learned.

"This league is a test of will," Snyder said. "You can be in the rotation, out of the rotation; have it rolling, be on the bottom. You can't be worried about the process. You have to worry about the result.

"I can get better. You want to start with some humility to try to be the best player you can be. I have to keep working hard. I want to get more done."


Making the right choice
The Rockets have viewed Snyder, 23, who is with his third team in his three NBA seasons, as something as a project, and not just on the court. He was banished to the inactive list March 9 for not working hard enough at a practice and talking back on the subject. But he returned to the next practice to earn regular playing time since.

"I was thinking, 'you have to work even harder,' " Snyder said. "When there's turmoil, you can do two things. You can cower or get strong. I try to get stronger. Things are going to happen. Things can go wrong or right. But you have a choice to get better."

Snyder did not stop at just working harder. He said he emulated teammate Juwan Howard, whose role this season has changed several times, and "how he handles things."

But Howard does not stop at leading by example.

"I've always tried to take Kirk to the side throughout the season and talk to him," Howard said. "He's not the only player, but Kirk sometimes wears his emotions on his sleeve. At times, that can hurt you. He had a situation in practice. It was good to see him bounce back, mentally tough and focused and ready to go to work and do what's best for the team, and not just his personal goals.

"Kirk's a great person, a very good teammate, and he wants to get better. All you can do as a teammate is embrace somebody like that."


Overcoming inconsistency
Snyder brings a quickness and leaping ability that is rare in the Rockets' rotation. In his last 10 games, he has averaged six points and 2.2 rebounds, playing an average of 13.7 minutes. But he has been inconsistent in providing the kind of play that is not measured by numbers.

"He needs to do the things he can do consistently and do them consistently well to build trust that he could be put into a tough atmosphere and concentrate enough to not make repeat mistakes," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Whether it's parts of the defense or balancing the floor on offense, it is just knowing what we're doing so his natural talent can flourish. Some games it's been good, some games, like the last game, not so good.

"He has struggled in general with an environment of discipline and accountability, which is not different from a lot of players. What you try to do is either get those players to change, or if you feel they can't change, you move them on ... because you need to have a disciplined, accountable team. And I think he wants to be that."

Snyder doesn't disagree. After so many turns in such a short career, he said he believes he can help the Rockets and himself but only if he learns from all those ups and downs.

"With the God-given ability to run and jump, there are points in the game I can get after guys a little bit differently," Snyder said. "Obviously, being able to lock in mentally will be my biggest task. Hopefully, I can do that every day.

"You have a choice. You can give up at times. Definitely, I was a little discouraged, but I don't have a right to be. You have to work through that. You have to get stronger, mentally tough, and hone in on what you can control."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com