The Houston Rockets have been, simply put, abysmal for the past three seasons. Ever since the Rockets traded away James Harden in early 2021, the Rockets have fallen on hard times, yet to turn things around in what has been a rebuilding process that's been full of tumult. But with new head coach Ime Udoka at the helm, the Rockets are now hoping to turn things around.

In fact, Udoka is hammering home the fact that the Rockets won 17, 20, and 22 games for the past three seasons, giving his team a reminder of their wretched past that was hard to miss during their film session on Tuesday.

“We know how much we’ve struggled over the last few years. A big part of the film session was, today, I put up the numbers 17, [20] and 22 up there. That’s the win totals from the last few years,” Udoka said, per Michael Shapiro of Chron.

The Rockets still don't project to be a playoff team in the loaded Western Conference even after adding Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks in free agency. They will need breakout seasons from Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr. just so they could insert themselves in such conversations.

But at the very least, Ime Udoka wants the Rockets to develop winning habits. Unlike previous seasons wherein players seemed to have the freedom to indulge in doing whatever it was that they wanted, Udoka hopes that the team doesn't become a pushover on most nights like they've been in the past three seasons.

“We want to be a different team. When teams play us, it’s not the same as it was the last few years,” Udoka added.

It appears as though the Rockets will be a much-improved team in 2023, although much-improved isn't really saying much given that they're coming all the way from rock bottom. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks will bring in much-needed grit and defensive acumen, Jeff Green will bring in a ton of experience to impart among Jalen Green and company, while Reggie Bullock figures to bring much-needed floor spacing. But the onus in getting the Rockets to playoff contention falls on the shoulders of the Rockets youngsters, which Udoka hopes he can bring out.