Relative to other offseason additions such as Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Clint Capela, 27-year-old guard Josh Okogie isn’t the highest-profile newcomer on the 2025-26 Houston Rockets.
But the tenacious 6-foot-4 defender could still make a big impact, particularly for a head coach in Ime Udoka who emphasizes defense. (Houston was rated among the NBA’s top-five defenses last season.)
On Wednesday, at a community event benefiting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, Okogie spoke with reporters for the first time since joining the Rockets in July.
When asked by Rockets Wire about his decision, Okogie said:
The way the Houston Rockets play and how I play, it’s just a great fit… in terms of the energy, the effort, that defensive tenacity. Getting up and down and getting after it, I feel like it was a match made in heaven, for me.
They made a tremendous leap (to No. 2 in the Western Conference standings) last year, and I’m just happy to be a part of the team this year. I’m just going to play hard, and that’s what the team is all about. Playing hard, being energetic, and having that hard-nosed, blue-collar work ethic.
A 6-foot-4 wing with a long 7-foot-0 wingspan, Okogie is extremely well regarded for his perimeter defense. In 40 games last season with the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets, the 26-year-old averaged 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 15.6 minutes per game.
While primarily known as a wing defender, it’s worth noting that Okogie shot 34.8% on 3-pointers last season, representing the best clip of his NBA career to date.
When asked by Rockets Wire about how that improvement happened and whether that 3-point success is sustainable, Okogie said:
For me, it was just continuing to get my confidence up. I for sure think it’s sustainable, I actually feel like I can shoot better than that.
That’s the beauty of the league. You keep getting a chance to get better, until you don’t. Now I have another opportunity in front of me.
Both Okogie and Udoka have Nigerian ancestry, so they previously had a relationship — and Okogie says Houston’s large Nigerian community appealed to him as a free agent.
“That’s my Nigerian brother, I’m very excited to play for him,” Okogie said of Udoka.
Okogie also has past playing experience with Durant, since the two were teammates for portions of three seasons (2022-23 through 2024-25) in Phoenix.
So, the Rockets should be a good fit for Okogie, who will make a bid for playing time when Houston opens training camp on September 30.
“I just think he fits us really well,” Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said of Okogie. “He gets after it. He literally gives you everything, even in pickup (games). Every possession. I love those types of players. He can really defend, he can really switch. He’s a great point of attack defender.”
“He’s a very young veteran… is how I would describe him,” Stone said. “We were just very excited that he was available.”
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ‘Match made in heaven’: Josh Okogie explains why he joined the Rockets
Reporting by Ben DuBose, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
