Friday’s preseason slate gave rookie watchers plenty to chew on, even if the results themselves won’t mean much once the games start counting. With Houston beating Dallas 135-117 and Memphis edging Chicago 104-100, a handful of 2026 draft picks flashed the kind of early skill that gets attention fast.
The most eye-catching line belonged to Wilson, who poured in a game-high 21 points and added four rebounds, four turnovers and a steal. He did most of his damage from deep, finishing 7-of-17 from the field, 5-of-11 from 3-point range and 2-of-6 at the line.
One of the highest-profile rookies in the mix, the No. 3 pick, put together a tidy all-around showing against the Bulls. He finished with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists in 12 minutes, going 3-of-5 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
The No. 25 pick also made his mark, especially as a shooter. In 24 minutes against Houston, he posted 11 points, six assists, two rebounds, four turnovers and a steal while knocking down all three of his 3-point tries and shooting 4-of-6 overall.
Elsewhere, the No. 48 pick gave his team a jolt off the bench. He scored 13 points in 15 minutes, added a rebound, two turnovers and two steals, and finished 5-of-6 from the field while going 3-of-3 at the stripe.
The No. 31 pick matched that scoring total in a much shorter stint. He had 13 points, two assists, two turnovers and a block in just nine minutes against the Mavericks, hitting all three of his 3-point attempts and going 4-of-6 from the field.
The preseason keeps rolling with seven more games on Saturday, including Atlanta against Indiana, the Raptors against the Clippers, Detroit against Washington, Minnesota against Miami, Philadelphia against Boston, Sacramento against Golden State and San Antonio against Phoenix. Sunday brings four more matchups, with Dallas and Houston, Orlando and Cleveland, Charlotte and Milwaukee, and Chicago and Denver all scheduled to play.
The regular season is right around the corner, set to begin in 10 days with three games on Oct. 20, starting with Boston and Detroit.
In Other News...
Marcus Smart Is Already Pressuring Houstons Young Guards
Marcus Smarts first preseason run with the Rockets offered a quick reminder of why Houston wanted him in the building this summer. In his debut against the Mavericks, the veteran guard brought the kind of edge and organization the roster has been looking for, blending scoring with playmaking while settling in alongside Fred VanVleet and the rest of Houstons backcourt mix.
Ime Udoka praised Smarts experience and leadership afterward, pointing to the way he can help steady a young group while adding to the teams defense and overall depth. For a Rockets team trying to sharpen its guard rotation early in the season, Smarts arrival already looks like more than just an extra veteran voice. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Fans May Not Love Cooper Flagg's Latest Kevin Durant Comparison
Cooper Flagg keeps drawing attention before his first full NBA season even gets rolling, and the latest buzz came after a preseason game in which the Dallas forward posted 14 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Coming off a Rookie of the Year campaign in which he averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists, Flagg already has the league talking about how quickly his game and presence are translating at this level.
Kyrie Irving added to the noise by drawing a familiar comparison, one that tends to land differently depending on the audience. For Rockets fans, any mention of Kevin Durant still hits close to home, especially with Durant now in Houston after another All-NBA Second Team season. The comparison says plenty about where Flaggs reputation is headed, and it also helps explain why his every preseason flash is getting treated like more than just an early October highlight. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Face An Early Point Guard Question They Can't Ignore
Fred VanVleet is on the road back to regular-season action after the ACL injury that ended his season, and the Rockets are already mapping out how they want the point guard spot to look once he is available again. Houston head coach Ime Udoka has made it clear VanVleet is expected to return to his starting role, which gives the Rockets a familiar late-game organizer and steady hand as they try to build on last seasons momentum.
The wrinkle is the start of next season, when VanVleet could miss some early games and leave Houston sorting through its options without much margin for error. Amen Thompson, Marcus Smart and Reed Sheppard all loom as possible answers in the meantime, and the choice matters because the Rockets need someone who can keep the offense organized while the rotation settles in around VanVleets comeback. [Read more 🡒]