Houston Rockets sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson credits Ime Udoka for team improvement

Houston Rockets sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson credits Ime Udoka for team improvement

now let’s talk about your Rockets coverage because it’s been kind of w cool to watch them improve since last season and for that reason when you take a look back and you see the record what comes to mind as to what’s adding to their success for their 500 record right now great question um when you look at the fact that there were 22 wins last year um and that they were able to improve and knock on the door of the play in tournament like all of the players and coaches will tell you it was they don’t feel like it was mission accomplished because you know the Rockets didn’t make the playoffs but what I think really added to their success was a complete and total 180 in culture and you’ve covered sports for a while so you know NFL MLB College it doesn’t matter when there is a head coaching change there is often a fairly big culture shift they bring in their own guys they come in with their own you know mind set and ideas and goals and when the Rockets hired eme udoka he justess it was like immediate like 180 and uh he brought in an unbelievable coaching staff and he told me in one of the interviews we did and I don’t remember remember which one but he told me that he prioritized hiring coaches and Player Development staff that had played and that knew and understand that relationships are everything and you can see it you know so the lead assistant Ben Sullivan when I asked him you know he has a shooting specialty he learned under chip England all all the good things and he’s he’s known for that when I asked him well where do you start with a guy when you’re helping him improve his shooting do you start with mechanics do you start with Statistics and Ben was like I start with the relationship and so eay brought in just a great coaching staff really young uh really energetic player devel vment guys again young energetic that are just really hungry to win and so um in addition to that you know everything that you that you know you hear about eay as far as him being willing to be serious and disciplined guys was true and so he just brought in a really great group of people and the players obviously deserve credit the veterans um the second thing I’ll say in addition to eay and his staff the veterans Fred vanle Jeff Green Dylan Brooks um were huge for the young guys and they were vocal not only on the court but off the court and helping guys navigate the NBA so I think it was I think the you know jump in wins and the Improvement was eay and who he brought in and then just really great veterans with a lot of pedigree and the young guys really respect them

The Houston Rockets went 22-60 in the 2022-23 season. This season, the Rockets went 41-41 and while the team failed to make the playoffs, it was a vast improvement to the season before. Rockets’ sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson points to head coach Ime Udoka and his coaching staff for changing the culture of the team.

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