Rockets Media Day: Thompson Aims High, VanVleet Cleared, Durant Looks Back

Houston opened training camp Tuesday with optimism, a healthy Fred VanVleet, and bold goals from Amen Thompson and Alperen Şengün.

The Houston Rockets held media day on Tuesday, closing an offseason in which the franchise kept its young core together and retained Kevin Durant. A year after arriving with high hopes, the team was hampered by injuries to Fred VanVleet before opening night and to Steven Adams at midseason, finishing with 52 wins and another exit in the opening round of the playoffs.

Head coach Ime Udoka set a higher bar, saying the roster is not built merely to reach the first round but to "make some real noise." General manager Rafael Stone said he enters this camp with greater excitement than a year ago, noting he has a clearer picture of what the group can do now that the shock of VanVleet's injury is behind them.

Amen Thompson, who signed a five-year, $208 million extension, said his summer work covered all facets of his game rather than just shooting. He admitted his defense slipped last season after making the All-Defense first team the year before, calling the omission deserved and citing motivation from watching his twin brother Ausar earn a spot.

VanVleet, exactly a year removed from the ACL tear that sidelined him for all of last season, said he has played 5-on-5 and is fully cleared for camp, though he cautioned his game will still be a work in progress. Durant said he was never near a return from the ankle injury he suffered in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Lakers, adding he could barely run, but he believes the playoff adversity accelerated the growth of the team's younger players.

Two-time All-Star Alperen Şengün, who averaged 20.4 points and 8.9 rebounds last season, said he wants to be an All-Star every year and eventually "the best player in this league." Reed Sheppard, meanwhile, told reporters he plans to get a haircut before the team travels to China for preseason games.