Reading Rockets Basketball

What to Expect from Patrick Patterson

After playing with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins last year at the University of Kentucky, at least Patrick Patterson should be at least acquainted with the media circus surrounding NBA basketball long before he ever sets foot on the court for the Rockets. If Patterson can make his regular season debut resemble anything close to his professional debut in Las Vegas Summer League competition, Rockets fans will be more than pleased. Patterson finished the game with a tidy 8 for 9 performance from the floor, tallying 18 points while playing turnover free basketball. Patterson continued to play solid throughout summer competition, though like all rookies he should face a major adjustment when he squares off against top NBA talent on a nightly basis.In college, Patterson carried the load for the Wildcats during his first two years on campus. However, his junior year saw a reduced role, despite Patterson’s obvious talents, with the additions of Kentucky’s super-freshmen. Last season’s 14.3 points per game and 7.4 rebounds were both career lows for Patterson at the collegiate level, having gone 16.4 PPG/7.7 REB his freshman year followed by a 17.3 PPG/9.3 REB campaign his sophomore year. Though decreasing productivity is commonly interpreted as a negative sign for prospects entering the NBA, the fact that Patterson willingly played 3^rd banana and ceded opportunities with a smile to the incoming top billed talent could boast well for his ability to adapt to the reserve role to which rookies are often relegated.The Rockets don’t need Patterson to come in and dominate right off the bat, even as a first round pick (14 overall). What the Rockets need is a smart player who makes good decisions with the basketball and can knock down a jump shot. Patterson possesses both these qualities, and should add some nice depth to frontcourt, immediately serving as a valuable rotation player.