New Rockets big Justin Patton strives to become elite roller, defender

Since being a near-lottery pick (No. 16 overall) in the 2017 NBA draft, things haven’t gone as planned for Justin Patton. Between a myriad of injuries and being traded twice as a throw-in alongside Jimmy Butler, the 6-foot-11 center only played in nine NBA games over three seasons.

But Patton worked hard in the NBA G League to earn another opportunity, and that will come with the Rockets after injuries to Christian Wood and Ray Spalding — which decimated Houston’s frontcourt.

On Friday, less than 24 hours after Patton’s agreement to join Houston, he participated in Friday’s team practice at Toyota Center. In comments after practice, the 23-year-old said he was thankful to be there.

“Oh man, this is great,” Patton told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. “Especially all that I’ve been through. Iniury-wise, team-wise, bouncing around. It’s great. I can only thank God. … At this point in my life, everything’s more deliberate. Everything’s intentional. I was just ready to get to work. The first thing I asked for was the playbook and the defensive schemes, so I can get the wheels turned on that.”

Patton said he was eager to use this latest opportunity in Houston to prove he belongs in the NBA.

“That’s the sole reason for what I’m doing,” Patton said. “Every single day I’m working with a chip on my shoulder, proving a point, just as everybody else on our team right now. That’s one thing that Coach [Stephen Silas] told me and [GM] Rafael [Stone] told me, everybody has a chip on their shoulder, and it’s only right that I have the same thing. It’s what I’m coming in with and I have a point to prove to everybody, everybody in the world who I am, what I’m coming here for, and what I deserve.”

Specifically, Patton says his priorities are contributing in the pick-and-roll game on offense and protecting the paint on defense. “I want to show that I can be one of the best rollers in this league,” Patton said Friday. “Obviously coming in, bring energy and also on defense protecting the paint, being a presence, and being a force on defense.”

Silas said he was pleased with what he saw in practice.

“He was good in practice,” Silas said of Patton. “He’s really a big guy, moves well. Defensively, he was good. Offensively, he picked things up so quickly, quicker than I ever thought he would.”

Patton should make his debut with the Rockets as the backup to DeMarcus Cousins during Monday’s home game versus Chicago. Tipoff between the Bulls and Rockets is set for 7:00 p.m. from Toyota Center.

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