Rockets looking at Whiteside

[Dash]

Per our very own Alex Kennedy.

 

Hassan Whiteside is a character. For some reason, he showed up for measurements wearing sandals, meaning that his 6'11.5 height with shoes is deceiving. But don't worry, Whiteside says he'll make it up and then some by always wearing two pairs of socks at the next level.

 

There are many questions surrounding Whiteside as the draft approaches and teams are trying to get a good read on the big man out of Marshall. While he is one of the most unproven players in this class, his potential and upside has lottery teams taking a hard look at him. He can score inside but also step out and knock down a jumper. He is a dominant shot blocker, averaging 5.4 blocks per game last season with the Thundering Herd. He is raw but teams believe with some work he could be a great center.

 

So why does Whiteside keep doing things to hurt his stock? Showing up in sandals wasn't his only head scratching moment during the Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. He opted not to participate in the basketball portion of the Combine, choosing instead to just work out for individual teams in private.

 

"Yeah, I was wanting to do it but my agent advised me not too since I'll have workouts with the teams that are already looking at me," Whiteside told HOOPSWORLD. "Most of the teams, I'm going to set up workouts. I'm going to set up workouts with them anyway."

 

But several teams in the lottery were not thrilled and felt that his decision not to compete points to several other eyebrow raising red flags that have surrounded Whiteside throughout this process. When asked what is the biggest misconception about his game, Hassan pauses for a second.

 

"Probably that I look like I don't love the game sometimes or I don't have intensity, that's probably the biggest misconception," he says.

 

While he acknowledges this, he doesn't want to hear that he doesn't work hard or doesn't want this.

 

"I don't know. They say I don't work hard, I guess. I don't really know. Averaging five block shots a game, I must have been working hard at some point. I think early in the season, I didn't really bring it as much as I did later on. It came up like once or twice [in interviews] but I don't really know where they got that from" he says defiantly.

 

Rather than slipping out of the lottery altogether, there is a good chance that the Houston Rockets grab him at fourteen if he's available. After spending a week working out with Hakeem Olajuwon, the legend gave his approval. With Yao Ming's health and future in question and the Rockets are looking for a young replacement and there's a good chance that Whiteside is their guy.

 

The situation in Houston may be exactly what Whiteside is looking for. When asked if he'd rather be on a young team with an opportunity to compete for the starting job or a veteran team where he can play a smaller role in the immediate future, Hassan says he prefers the latter. "I want vets around me that can help me and really teach me the ropes," he says. But don't get him wrong, he still wants to play and impact games behind the veterans.

 

"It's just being on a team, being able to make an instant impact, and being able to contribute," says Whiteside when asked what he's looking forward too.

 

Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=16355#ixzz0pLhAgsUb

 

 

Great news, he was already at the top of my wishlist. If he has the approval of the Rockets management and Dream then that makes it all the better.

Edited May 29, 2010 by Dash

[Flight]

I think Houston's a good fit for him, plenty of playing time with a questionable Yao Ming, but he gets to learn from both the Dream and Yao.