DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
The first stop in J.J. Avila’s professional basketball career will be Houston.
After not being selected in last week’s NBA Draft, the McAllen native and 6-foot-7, 240-pound forward will be in summer camp next week with the Houston Rockets to compete for a spot on the Rockets’ summer league team later this month.
Houston was one of five NBA teams Avila worked out for prior to the draft. It was reported the Rockets were impressed by Avila’s versatile skill set. Avila will be competing for one of the last few spots on the Rockets’ summer league team that will play in Las Vegas on July 10-20.
Avila also had an invitation for a guaranteed spot with the San Antonio Spurs’ summer league team in Salt Lake that begins July 6, but agent Adam Godes chose the Rockets because of the bigger Las Vegas tourney, which consists of 24 teams compared to four for Salt Lake.
“If I impress and do what I need to do to make the roster, more eyes will be on me in Vegas,” Avila said during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.
Since Thursday’s draft, Avila said it’s been “a waiting game.” Avila was not among the 60 players chosen in the two-round draft, but it didn’t take long for the Rockets to express their interest.
Houston offered Avila a tryout spot on Saturday, and it became official Tuesday. Avila will fly out to Houston on Sunday for a mini-camp that begins Monday.
“I didn’t get the news I wanted (at the draft), but I’m ready to go and earn a spot, do what I can,” Avila said. “I’m excited. I’ve been working hard. Even since I last worked out with the Rockets (in early June), they’re going to see a different guy. I’m ready to show what I can do and hopefully I get a chance.
“I have all the confidence in the world that I can do it and I have the ability to do it.”
While the opportunity likely has little bearing on Avila’s chance to make the Rockets, who have plenty of veteran depth at the forward spot, it will be a shot for him to audition in front of other NBA teams or attract Houston enough to earn a spot with NBA D-League affiliate Rio Grande Valley.
Avila was a first team All-Mountain West performer for Colorado State in his senior season last year, averaging 16.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He graduated from McAllen High in 2010 as the program’s all-time scoring leader with 2,865 points.
FAST BREAKS: Others joining Avila as tryout players for the Rockets’ summer league team include former University of Houston standout Aubrey Coleman, former University of Florida standout Chris Walker and Jarvis Threatt, who played 36 games last season for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. … The Rockets’ summer league roster includes former Vipers Glen Rice Jr. and Jaron Johnson, both of whom played in RGV last season. Center Clint Capela and guard Nick Johnson, both of whom spent a considerable amount of time with the Vipers as rookies last season, will also participate, as well as forwards Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell, the Rockets’ two picks in last week’s draft.