The final week of June is a busy one for Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone, who will have approximately $60 million and more available to potentially spend in 2023 free agency. Agreements can officially be reached starting at 5 p.m. Central on Friday, June 30.
But for now, he’s happy to reflect on what is being viewed around the NBA as an extremely successful draft night for the Rockets. Houston added guard Amen Thompson (the No. 4 pick in the first round) and Cam Whitmore (No. 20) to its emerging core of young talent.
“When you see something special, you know it’s special,” Stone said of Thompson. He was asked about the unproven nature of Thompson’s Overtime Elite professional basketball league, where he played in the 2022-23 season prior to declaring for the NBA.
“Part of the job is to evaluate these young men coming from so many different circumstances,” Stone said of Houston’s scouting process. “What Amen can do, to me, jumps out.”
Here’s a roundup of what Stone told reporters on Monday. With Thompson and Whitmore leading the way, Houston’s 2023 summer league roster begins play on Friday, July 7, in Las Vegas.
Rafael Stone on Houston’s 2023 NBA draft class
Rafael Stone on evaluating Amen Thompson with him playing with OTE.
“When you see something special, you know it’s special.” pic.twitter.com/afJlvtzWFE
— V̷a̷t̷o̷r̷ (@Vator_H_Town) June 26, 2023
Rafael Stone said Ime Udoka has been with the team a month or two now and the gloves came off with the squad about 3-4 weeks ago, so he and Ime have had more discussions on the direction of the team.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) June 26, 2023
Rafael Stone on free-agency this summer: "The idea is to bring in players that can raise our level. It's very hard for one guy to to that in a vacuum, it's easier to have multiple guys layered…A few players who can help each other and help our young guys." https://t.co/SYovBYHgi4
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) June 26, 2023
New #Rockets Amen Thompson on coming from Overtime Elite and any criticism of coming from a place like that. GM Rafael Stone responds as well. pic.twitter.com/HrU4RW6gwU
— Chris Gordy (@ChrisGordy) June 26, 2023
Rockets GM Rafael Stone mentioned what Pistons GM Troy Weaver said about spotting talent no matter where it is. Weaver's quote: "You can say that when you see something different, you see something elite, you know. I think Halle Berry is pretty in church or in the grocery store."
— Matt Young (@Chron_MattYoung) June 26, 2023
Rafael Stone said he watched every second of Amen Thompson’s 6 games of overseas basketball.
My GM did his homework.
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) June 26, 2023
