To say the Houston Rockets are having a tough time of things this season would be an incredible understatement. The future could be bright though; here we look at the youngest players on the Rockets roster.
Number 5. Kevin Porter Jr.
Kevin Porter Jr might not be a teenager anymore but at 21-years-old he is still one of the youngest players to feature on the Rockets roster. The young shooting guard has played for multiple teams already in his career and his potential is unquestionably through the roof. The former Cavaliers man averages 4.2 turnovers per game but the Rockets are trying to develop him into a point guard role instead of his traditional shooting guard spot.
Still, Porter averages 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He is one player that everybody would love to see take the next step. Will he? We think he will, ‘when’ is the real question though.
Number 4. Josh Christopher
Unlike Porter Jr, Josh Christopher doesn’t get to spend much time on the court. Christopher, who is 19-years-old, has only appeared in ten games and started none of them. Despite the fact he is only on the floor for roughly eight minutes each game Christopher is able to average 2.5 points, one rebound and 1.1 assists per game.
Consistency isn’t his strong point, which is perhaps to be expected given his age. More minutes would help with that but he is somewhat hampered by the fact he plays the same position as other solid players like Porter, Eric Gordon and the newly drafted Jalen green.
Number 3. Usman Garuba
Usman Garuba is another 19-year-old that struggles for game time. He has played in just seven games this season and, again, he is yet to start a game. The ceiling he has though is significant; Garuba averages just six minutes on the court per contest and averages 1.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists.
His standout stat though is that he boasts a player efficiency rating of the second highest on the team. It is completely feasible that he could end up getting some more minutes down the stretch of the season; that’s even more likely if the Rockets keep losing games.
Number 2. Alperen Sengun
Again, we look at another 19-year-old; this time it’s Alperen Sengun, who was drafted by the Rockets at number 16 in the most recent draft. Sengun had some phenomenal plays during the Summer League for the Rockets and got himself placed on the map inside the organisation.
Now, the Turkish League MVP averages just under 20 minutes per game and has appeared in every contest bar one. Sengun averages 9.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for Houston.
The young center has also displayed abilities that put him amongst the best defensive players on the team; that is something Houston badly needs right now. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a lot more minutes as the season progresses.
Number 1. Jalen Green
Topping our list of the youngest players on the Rockets roster is, of course, Jalen Green, 19. It is simply undeniable that he is the brightest young talent on the team. Green was the number two overall selection in this past draft and is getting the most playing time out of anybody else that we previously mentioned. He’s making the most of it too. Green averages 13.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game; he has started in every single one.
Expecting much more from a first year player in the league is a little too much but already he has been developing nicely and his highlight reel is somehow bordering on the insane despite his career still being in its infancy. This Rockets team expects huge things from Green in the future and, providing he stays with them, he’ll prove one hell of a player for them.
There you have it, the youngest players on the Rockets roster. If you want to find out who are the youngest players in NBA history, check out this article from edge.twinspires.com.