Houston Rockets big man Christian Wood has never been a player devoid of confidence. It's why he found his way back into the league after playing overseas. It's how he broke out as a player in Detroit after coming off the bench for Andre Drummond. And it's how he carried that trajectory into Houston the following year.
“I believe I'm a star right now,” said Wood at Rockets Media Day. “And to expand, [outside recognition] comes with winning. I had a losing season last season, it's not a secret. To prove your worth and who you are in this league, I think you have to win and that's what I'm focused on.”
Offensively, Wood's statement isn't far off from where he was last year. Per game, Wood averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks on an efficient 59.1% true shooting. He may have gotten All-Star buzz had he not gotten hurt. There will always be two factors to consider with Wood when having this conversation: games played and defense. If he can improve on both fronts, the outside recognition will come in droves and Wood's begun to recognize it's an area he needs to work on.
“I think I'm better than I was last year defensively,” said Wood after his third day in training camp. “With my ability to switch one through five and being able to drop in pick and rolls. That's what I think coach is going to throw at me this year. I think I'm going to be better than I was before.”
The Rockets aren't unaware of Wood's shortcomings defensively. It's partially why they signed center Daniel Theis to play alongside Wood this season. Theis will be tasked with protecting the rim and making up for what Wood isn't defensively right now. After playing 99% of his minutes last year at center, Wood seems to be okay with the idea of moving up to play power forward.
“It helps me a lot. I think he's going to be more traditional guarding the bigger fives,” said Wood. “I don't have to bang as much. I get to guard more so my position, which is the four. Even though I consider myself position-less, I think I'll be playing the four this year. He helps me out a lot defensively.”
Wood also placed an emphasis on building up his body after the season ended. It wasn't just a lateral quickness or a rim protection problem with Wood. He would often get moved around by some of the bulkier centers in the NBA, which partially prompted the acquisition of Kelly Olynyk.
“I'm 230 now to start the season. I was 220 [last season] so I definitely got heavier with my strength just to be able to bang with guys,” said Wood “I know I'm going to be guarding fives and fours the majority of the time so I think I'm ready for that this season.”
The Rockets are also going to ask Wood to do more than he did last season for the team, pushing the boundaries of his capabilities and seeing what they have in him as a player. In large part, Wood asked for this, so he's perfectly fine getting outside of his comfort zone.
“This year, you should see me switch onto more ball screens defensively, taking the ball up the court, getting guys into more actions,” Wood explained. “I just want to be more involved in the offense in terms of just getting everybody involved.”
The Rockets coaches believe teams will come back with better scouting reports and creative defenses for Wood. As a result, Stephen Silas has thrown double teams and traps when Wood has been in the post in practices. The hope is that he'll get used to them by the time the season rolls around.
“I've been passing out of double teams,” said Wood. “Just stuff that coach has been throwing at me that he thinks I'm going to see in the season and I think I've been doing a great job of getting my teammates involved.”
In fact, a lot of Christian Wood's focus in training camp has been devoted to playmaking for his young teammates and being more vocal on the floor. After starting last season as the youngest piece of Houston's new nucleus around James Harden, Wood has quickly become a veteran of this new Rockets team. He turned 26 in September and Houston's new nucleus is still on their rookie deals. Recognizing this difference in age, Wood has also embraced a leadership role on the team in training camp.
“It's a role that I think I have to step into and I think I'm ready for,” said Wood. “[Kevin Porter Jr.] is only 20. Jalen [Green] is young too. We have a young lineup and a young roster. I was the guy to have one of the most years and being one of the better guys on the team. So just being that leader, to show them where they are on the floor defensively and offensively.”
Following up last season will be a tough act for Wood, but there are indeed areas where he can become better on and off the floor. If Wood has made subtle tweaks on and off the floor, it should be a fruitful year for the Long Beach native.
Follow Us
Subscribe