For the second straight NBA draft, the Houston Rockets did not pick in the first round, sitting out Tuesday night’s proceedings.
Houston dealt its first-round pick years ago to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the deal that swapped Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook. The Thunder sent it to the Philadelphia 76ers and the selection, No. 22 overall, eventually turned into Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr.
The Rockets won’t have a quiet Wednesday, with two picks in the second round: Nos. 39 and 53. Here are some of the top prospects on public big boards that are still available after the first 30 picks.
BYU’s Richie Saunders is a 3-point gunner but is coming off a season-ending knee injury.
Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
Richie Saunders, G, BYU
Article continues below this ad
Saunders is one of the better shooters in this draft, making 38.7% of his 3-pointers across four seasons with the Cougars. But he isn’t explosive, per Vecenie, is also one of the older prospects in the draft at nearly 25 years old and is coming off a February ACL tear.
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar has a multifaceted offensive game.
Nell Redmond/AP
Henry Veesaar, PF/C, North Carolina
The Athletic: 29
ESPN: 28
The Ringer: 19
At a shade over 6-foot-11 with a 7-2 wingspan, Veesaar is on the border between being a power forward and a center. He improved as an outside shooter, making 42.6% of his 3-pointers last season. That isn’t the extent of his offensive contributions though, as the 22-year-old also thrived near the rim and as a passer, averaging 2.1 assists per game for the Tar Heels last season.
Article continues below this ad
But his long-term positional fit remains unclear and he will likely need to add strength and make sizable jumps as a defender.
Isaiah Evans, G, Duke
The Athletic: 35
ESPN: 25
The Ringer: 29
An strong movement shooter, Evans made 36.1% of his 3-point shots for the Blue Devils last season. At 6-5 with a nearly 6-9 wingspan, he has solid size for a wing. The 20-year-old will need to fill out his frame, currently weighing just 186 pounds, and needs to develop consistency, per Woo.
Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas, at 19, would be a developmental player for whichever team drafts him.
Amanda Loman/AP
Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas
The Athletic: 31
ESPN: 29
The Ringer: 28
Article continues below this ad
A true project, Thomas is still just 19 (he turns 20 in August) and averaged 15.6 points per game for the Razorbacks. He shot just 43.5% from the field but 41.6% from deep. He has a long way to go as a defender and needs to clean up his shot selection, per Vecenie.
Baba Miller, F, Cincinnati
The Athletic: 39
ESPN: 34
The Ringer: 24
Miller stands just shy of 7-feet with a standing reach of 9-3 and excelled in the athletic testing at the draft combine. Add in his talent as a rebounder, ballhandler and passer and you get one of the more intriguing second-round talents in the draft.
The 22-year-old needs to add strength and improve as a shooter. He made just 19.2% of his 3-pointers for the Bearcats last season.
Article continues below this ad
Emanuel Sharp provided a tenacious two-way game for four years at UH.
Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle
Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston
The Athletic: 33
ESPN: 38
The Ringer: 41
If the Rockets take Sharp, he would be the first Cougar they have selected since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984.
A 37.6% shooter across his four years in Houston, Sharp is also a physical defender and hustles, per Mann. But at a shade under 6-foot-3, he doesn’t offer much positional versatility and isn’t a dynamic athlete. He also isn’t a great ballhandler, per Vecenie.
Article continues below this ad
Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville
The Athletic: 40
ESPN: 35
The Ringer: 27
Conwell is another strong shooter, making 37.6% of his triples over a four-year collegiate career. He is a bit small for a shooting guard at just 6-foot-2 but makes up for it with an ample 6-foot-7 wingspan. Vecenie called him a “solid defender” and Conwell averaged 1.1 steals per game for the Cardinals.
But the 22-year-old is best used off the ball and without elite athleticism, his defense may not get anywhere above solid.
Braden Smith led Purdue on deep NCAA Tournament runs, including to the 2024 national championship game.
Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle
Braden Smith, G, Purdue
The Athletic: 38
ESPN: 39
The Ringer: 44
A true point guard and the all-time NCAA record-holder for assists, Smith is a strong ballhandler, shooter and passer who can command an offense. He averaged 14.3 points and 8.8 assists per game last season, shooting 44% from the field and 36.2% from deep. But he isn’t a great athlete and measured in at the combine at just 5-foot-10.25, raising questions about the near-23-year-old’s defensive capabilities.