Uduka: Rockets coaching team is both teachers and friends to build a bond of trust, which can both train strictly on the court and have a heart-to-heart relationship between the court

On May 22, Rockets coach Uduka talked about his evaluation of members of the Rockets' existing coaching team in an interview with the media.

Uduka is 47 years old, and many of the Rockets' assistant coaches (Ben Sullivan, Royal Ivey, Garrett Jackson, Cam Hodges, Mike Moser and Will Dunn) are about the same age as him and even younger.

Uduka said: "They will not only urge players, but also build trust and care with players."

"I hope the coaching staff can resonate with players, so I specially hired coaches who have a career and are good at cultivating new players. They can not only share basketball experience on the court, but also talk to players about real life issues off the court. Our coaching team is younger and can get along with players, which has been recognized since day one. In the final analysis, after building trust, we can coach more strictly."

In the season before Uduka coaching, the Rockets only achieved a record of 22 wins and 60 losses; and in the 2023-24 season, the team's record increased to 41 wins and 41 losses (No. 11 in the West), and further reached 52 wins and 30 losses (No. 2 in the West). This year-on-year progress confirms that his philosophy is effective - especially for Houston, which has a "young core". The Rockets stockpiled 7 first-round rookies (Jaylen Green, Shin Kyung, Jabbarry Smith Jr., Ethan, Amen Thompson, Whitmore and Shepard).