The Rockets are signing 6-foot-3 shooting guard Armoni Brooks to the two-way contract slot opened up with the release of Justin Patton, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Now 22 years old and in his second professional season, Brooks was a college basketball standout at the University of Houston. In the 2020-21 campaign, Brooks played for Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers — where he averaged 16.8 points (37.5% on 3-pointers), 3.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 30.6 minutes per game.
“It’s just exciting,” Brooks told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. “It’s a dream come true to finally be able to play in the NBA, and being able to do it in the city that I went to college in is just great.”
“I was actually in the airport on my way to go to New Zealand [to play in the professional league there],” Brooks told Berman on Saturday. “I got a phone call, and they said they signed me to a two-way [contract], and I just started crying in the airport.”
Former @UHCougarMBK star Armoni Brooks (@snipabrooks_)on signing with #Rockets : “I was actually in the airport on my way to go to New Zealand (to play in pro league). I got a phone call & they said they signed me to a two-way (contract) & I just started crying in the airport.”
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) April 3, 2021
While Brooks is getting Patton’s two-way contract slot, he will effectively be replacing Ben McLemore as the designated sharpshooter off the bench for head coach Stephen Silas. McLemore is also being released.
General manager Rafael Stone indicated recently that Houston plans to spend more of its 2020-21 mid-level exception (MLE) on a signing (or signings) later this season, and that’s where McLemore’s roster spot will presumably go. For now, Brooks appears to be the only addition.
New #Rockets at #TXSN – Rockets to sign former UH guard Armoni Brooks https://t.co/ZBTB8aMdSm
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) April 3, 2021
