Star wars nothing new for Melton
Second-round pick battled Harden, Paul last summer
Long before De’Anthony Melton will be asked to pick up Chris Paul or James Harden in a training camp, before he will hear Paul bark his first order or Harden call for his first switch, Melton looked across the court in Los Angeles and saw his celebrated future teammates take the floor as opponents.
Melton had just finished a promising freshman year at Southern Cal. He had been, like Harden, twice a California state champion in high school. He had been, like so many others, a point guard in Paul’s camps. None of that meant much that day as Harden and Paul, having recently joined forces with the Rockets, took the floor as Drew League teammates playing against Melton’s Hometown Favorites team.
Paul and Harden won that day, Melton grudgingly admitted Friday when he and Vincent Edwards were introduced as the Rockets’ second-round pickups from Thursday’s NBA draft. Melton had the discretion to not add that he had led the Hometown comeback that day, filling in when Russell Westbrook sat out and leading a team with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jordan Bell before falling just short 83-81.
He also learned something about the star players he soon will call teammates.
“That was pretty interesting to watch,” Melton said. “It was a very high-energy game. It was just crazy to be on the court, too.
“Just the way they carry themselves and you see the connection they had early on, the chemistry they had throughout the season, they really stay on top of each other. They hold each other
accountable. Even sometimes you saw them argue in the huddle, but that’s how they hold each other accountable and they were still good on the court. I think that’s the biggest thing just coming in, just constructive criticism.”
Melton is back in the Drew League this summer. But he and Edwards will be with the Rockets’ summer league team in Las Vegas, with Melton especially trying to make up for lost time. While Edwards is unusually experienced, having improved through four seasons at Purdue, Melton played just one season at USC before he was held out because of his connection to the FBI investigation into NCAA corruption.
A roller-coaster season
USC associate head coach Tony Bland (a high school teammate with the Rockets’ Trevor Ariza) was named in the investigation and was eventually fired in midseason. Melton soon after announced he’d sit out the remainder of his sophomore season and declare for the draft.
“It was pretty difficult,” Melton said. “It was an emotional roller coaster. Some games I thought I was going to play. Some games I was closer than others. It was really difficult to navigate. I went through every day like I was about to play the next game. It was tough to go through, but I’m glad I got through it and I’m here and I can’t wait to put on a jersey and get back to work.”
After so much time without competition, Melton was nervous at the start of his workout with the Rockets, but he eventually settled down to display his skills. The 6-3 guard excelled at the NBA draft combine, with the Rockets hoping his length and athleticism will allow him to defend well quickly.
“Defense. I think you saw in our playoff series when a couple real quick guys, especially Utah with a couple guys (Dante) Exum and (Alec) Burks, gave us trouble,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. “Being able to guard on the perimeter, especially some of the quicker guards, we think is something (Melton) can bring right out of the box.”
Hones 3-point prowess
Edwards arrives with greater offensive polish, having improved from 32.6 percent 3-point shooting to 39.8 percent as a senior when he averaged 14.6 points. The Rockets believe that at 6-8 he can play offensively at either forward position and is accustomed to their switching style defensively from his seasons under Matt Painter at Purdue.
“Being able to knock down open shots, I do feel like that’s a strength of mine, being able to stretch the floor,” Edwards said. “However they use me, whether it’s the four or three, just being that guy that can be versatile and guard multiple positions and not letting the offense lose the rhythm of it.”
Edwards said contract discussions hadn’t begun, but he was open to signing a two-way deal with the Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers if that is what the team prefers.
For Melton, after a season spent sitting out, the Rockets offered more than a chance to play with, instead of against, their star backcourt.
“They have some big things coming up,” he said. “The end goal is a championship. That’s what I’m here for. They’re a team that took a chance on me, that believes in me. I feel I got picked by the right team.”