Houston Rockets GM Rafael Stone believes top of 2024 draft is ‘strong’

The Houston Rockets entered the offseason as significant winners, which began Sunday afternoon in Chicago. In the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, the Rockets received the third overall selection.

The Rockets entered the lottery with the best odds of landing the No. 9 selection (50.7%), which was awarded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Houston was able to land the pick thanks to the trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021.

While there isn’t a prospect touted as a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama last year, general manager Rafael Stone believes the 2024 draft will give the Rockets several big-time prospects to choose from — if they keep their choice.

“I think the first few in this draft are solid,” Stone said Sunday afternoon. “I think last year’s draft was different than we’ve seen in a while, just because there was so much attention focused on one guy (Wembanyama), and he wasn’t the case in the previous two drafts, and I don’t think that will be the case this year.”

The Rockets have missed out on the No. 1 overall pick for four straight years. However, Stone and his team still put together a promising roster.

After missing out on Wembanyama, the Rockets landed the No. 4 pick used to draft Amen Thompson. The selection came a year after Houston received the third pick when they selected Jabari Smith Jr. in the 2022 NBA Draft.

The Rockets’ highest pick came in the 2021 NBA Draft lottery. The team received the No. 2 pick and drafted Jalen Green.

The 2002 draft lottery marked the last time the Rockets held the top overall selection, used to draft future Hall of Famer Yao Ming.

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