After trading up for Alperen Sengun, the Houston Rockets made back-to-back selections late in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft Thursday Night. At pick No. 23, the Rockets selected Usman Garuba from Spain.
Garuba is a 6-foot-8 forward who has the upside to develop into one of the top all-around defenders in the league. His long arms enable him to be a threat in the passing lanes, coming into the draft measuring in with a 7-foot-2 wingspan.
He is already getting a sample size of what the NBA has to offer, as the 19-year-old forward is currently playing with Spain during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.