Less than 24 hours after Christian Wood officially became the Rockets’ center, he thought not just of the team he had joined in a decision he called “a slam dunk,” but also of when he hoped just to get on Houston’s 2015 summer league team.
He considered not just the chance to take lobs from James Harden, but also of when the Fujian Sturgeons of the China Basketball Association cut him before he ever played a game, telling him he “wasn’t good enough.” He thought not just of becoming the highest paid free agent center to sign this off-season, but also of the long road it took to get there. He had no complaints.
“How far I came from there to now, it’s crazy,” Wood said. “You know, hard work, dedication, not giving up … just keep that chip on my shoulder.
“Coming back from China (in 2017) and going into the G League, I knew I had to step up. I actually got cut from that China team. They said I wasn’t good enough at the time. That chip on my shoulder from me being undrafted and me being waived from there, I knew I had to change.
“It’s a journey I wouldn’t put anybody on. It’s a journey I learned a lot from to get to where I am now. I wouldn’t have asked for it to be any other way because it made me (get) to where I am now.”
It paid off when he played his way onto the Pistons roster in last season’s training camp and then emerged, particularly after the Pistons dealt Andre Drummond and Wood took off. In the final 22 games of last season, Wood averaged 19,7 points and 8.1 rebounds, making 56 percent of his shots and 40.3 percent of his 3-pointers.
That helped make him among the most coveted free agent centers this offseason. His three-year, $41 million contract with the Rockets is the largest contract ever signed by an undrafted player that played for the minimum the previous season.
“It was surreal,” Wood said. “I couldn’t really believe it. But I know how hard I’ve worked to get to this point. I know my worth at the same time. I’m happy. I’m excited. It’s an amazing opportunity for my family, even for myself to be better and get better.”
Wood said he had spoken with James Harden and Ben McLemore about joining the Rockets, cited the pickup game he played with Harden in the offseason and said he and Harden have “a good relationship.”
Asked more specifically if he was worried about speculation that Harden and Russell Westbrook could be traded, Wood said, “No concern at all.”
Instead, he spoke about how he could fit with the Rockets style and needs.
“I talked to coach (Stephen) Silas already,” Wood said. “Me and him have a relationship before with me with the Hornets when he was an assistant coach. He said he is still keeping the same five-out offense that’s key with my ability to shoot the ball. I think it’s perfect. It’s a great fit. And in pick-and-roll … (can) do great things.
“It’s just a style of play. I like to get out and run. I know the Houston Rockets like to get out and run. The way James and other guys play around him, I think I can be a great fit.”
He also cited an ability to switch defensively that would sit with the Rockets’ recent philosophy on that end. Though the Rockets are not likely to switch as often as in past seasons with the addition of DeMarcus Cousins to the rotation and Silas’ determination to have more options, it is still expected to be used extensively.
“My ability to switch off on screens, switch on to guard and being able to defend them, being able to block shots, I think my game brings that to the Houston Rockets,” Wood said.
Wood said being able to play for Silas “made my eyes pop.” Wood was with the Hornets in 2016-17, his second NBA season, playing in just 12 games. A great deal had changed since then with Wood saying more than anything he had learned, “Confidence is key.
“Confidence is a major factor in the NBA,” Wood said. “In the NBA, you have to … try to be better than everybody on the court. That’s just my thing. I bring my ability to space the floor. I can put the ball on the floor. I can drive with the best of them in the league. I can shoot with the best of them in the league. With James’ ability to be able to knock down shots and score at a high rate, I think I can be a good second option.”
Wood’s breakthrough season ended in March, a little more than a month after he became a starter and his production surged. Because the Pistons were among the eight teams that were not invited to the bubble, he has not played since. He had to recover from a bout with COVID-19 then went to “work on my game.”
“It’s definitely been a long time,” Wood said. “I can’t wait for the season to get started.”
jonathan.feigen@chron.com
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