In life, we're all entitled to make mistakes. We try to avoid them as best we can, but it's an inescapable part of the human experience. Most of us are fortunate enough to make these mistakes in the privacy of our own lives. However, as a public figure, particularly an athlete, you're not afforded that same privacy. So when Houston Rockets forward Danuel House was kicked out of the NBA Bubble in Orlando for violating the league's health and safety protocols, he not only had to deal with the fallout in his work environment but the very public backlash.
“I’d like to deeply apologize to the fans, also,” said House in December after publicly apologizing to the Rockets organization. “If you felt I let you down, sincere apologies from me, Danuel House Jr., to everyone.”
It's hard to ignore that what House did in the midst of a raging pandemic was pretty reckless. Public figures, rightly or wrongly, are held to a higher standard than the general public. However, it's worth noting that House did acknowledge the mistake, accepted the consequences, and made this public apology. It also likely cost him the trust of an entire organization at the time. It's gotten to the point where most people have to double-take when they see House's name still on the Rockets' roster.
At the same time, it's been a full calendar year since the incident, and House is slated to start this season as a member of the team. Houston has evidently moved past the incident and per Kelly Iko of The Athletic, spoke to House's representation while in Las Vegas, presumably about a contract extension. He's got a solid relationship with his teammates and Rockets assistant coach John Lucas has been a mentor of his since youth. The Rockets could obviously still move House ahead of his contract expiring in 2022, but if they can extend him at a reasonable number, exploring an extension isn't the worst idea.
Houston's fanbase, however, clearly views the situation differently. House became sort of a punching bag on the internet after the incident. Additionally, for the past few weeks, Rockets fans have pestered House on social media to give his jersey number – 4 – to shooting guard Jalen Green. The implication here is that Houston should turn the keys of the franchise over to Green and that House is the last player to be stepping in the way of the star prospect having his preferred number.
Talked to Danuel House today, who tells me DEFINITIVELY that he will not be giving up No. 4
House says it's important to him because his family has deep roots in Freedman's Town and the Fourth Ward of Houston.
"…(the number 4) empowers me to be me…" pic.twitter.com/IBUfaqkCET
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) September 3, 2021
However, the NBA doesn't work like that. Jersey numbers are something players hold sacred and being forced to hand them over is seen as a sign of disrespect. They also have no impact on the basketball product, nor do they matter to anyone but the player wearing it so the motivation to pester a player like this is very strange. Nevertheless, the point is that the Rockets fanbase hasn't completely gotten over the Orlando incident.
For what it's worth, Danuel House is still a very capable basketball player. The notion that he just forgot how to be a useful player when he was just that for a playoff team a year ago doesn't really compute. At his best, House was a decent defender, capable ball-handler, and good shooter (36.4% for his career). He's also one of the few wing-sized players left on Houston's roster (6-foot-6) so a packed rotation shouldn't get in the way of him getting minutes.
If given the chance, House could certainly be of use to Rockets coach Stephen Silas next season. We'll just have to see how they intend to utilize him.
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