Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced that the team now has all three of its first-round selections from the 2012 NBA Draft under contract, which includes Connecticut guard/forward Jeremy Lamb (12th overall), Iowa State forward Royce White (16th overall) and Kentucky forward Terrence Jones (18th overall).
Lamb (6-5, 180, Connecticut) was recently named an NBA Summer League 2012 All-Star after topping the Rockets entry in scoring and finishing eighth overall in points per game (20.0). An early entry candidate for the 2012 NBA Draft, Lamb was just the sixth sophomore in UConn history to score 1,000 career points (1,060). He was selected AP Honorable Mention All-America and All-Big East First Team as a sophomore after averaging 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Lamb also helped UConn to a National Championship as a freshman, recording 12 points in the title game vs. Butler and earning a spot on the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.
White (6-8, 260, Iowa State) showed his all-around game at the 2012 NBA Summer League by averaging 8.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists with the Houston squad in Las Vegas. He came to the Rockets as the only player in the country in 2011-12 to lead his team in scoring (13.4 ppg), rebounding (9.3 rpg), assists (5.0 apg), steals (1.2 spg) and blocks (0.9 bpg) during his lone season at Iowa State. Overall, White became just the second player in school history to top the team in scoring, rebounding and assists in one season. His sophomore year with the Cyclones was highlighted by AP Honorable Mention All-America honors, All-Big 12 First-Team accolades, selection to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and being named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
Jones (6-9, 252, Kentucky) averaged 18.2 points and 8.6 rebounds with the Rockets at 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, finishing tied for sixth in rebounds per game and 15th in scoring. Another of the early entry candidates for the 2012 NBA Draft, Jones averaged 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 76 games over his two seasons with Kentucky. He was one of just six players in UK history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 140 blocks in a career. As a sophomore, Jones helped the Wildcats win the 2012 National Championship, while earning Second-Team All-SEC honors. In 2010-11, he was selected SEC Freshman of the Year, First-Team All-SEC and was a member of the SEC All-Freshman Team.
