Marqus Blakely has been released by the Houston Rockets, but the former University of Vermont star hasn’t given up his dream to play in the National Basketball Association.
Blakely’s agent, Sam Porter, confirmed Thursday to the Burlington Free Press Houston’s decision earlier in the week to release Blakely.
“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. … So long Houston,” Blakely wrote on his Facebook and Twitter pages.
If he doesn’t latch on to another NBA team in the next few days, Porter said Blakely will likely return to the NBA Development League. The Iowa Energy, the second of two D-League teams Blakely played for last season, still own his rights, Porter said.
“I received some calls from other NBA teams — the Nuggets, the Mavericks — right after he was released by the Rockets,” Porter said. “He’s had some interest from overseas teams as well. We are still kind of figuring it out. I really believe he’s one of the top players who’s not on an NBA roster right now. He just needs a chance to show what he can do.”
Blakely reached a three-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Rockets in April. He joined the team for its regular-season finale in Minnesota but didn’t receive any playing time. Blakely was with Houston this summer, but Porter said he was hurt by the NBA lockout, the absence of an NBA Summer League and the abbreviated preseason.
Although in uniform, Blakely didn’t see any playing time in the Rockets’ preseason opener Dec. 17 against San Antonio.
Blakely played for Iowa and the Bakersfield Jam in the NBA D-League last winter. In 49 games, he averaged 15 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Blakely graduated from UVM after a stellar four-year career that included two America East Conference player of the year awards, a trip to the NCAA tournament and hundreds of acrobatic highlights. He became the first Catamount alum to be on an NBA roster for a regular-season game. The next step, his agent says, is playing in an NBA game and sticking with a club.
“He’s so close,” Porter said. “It’s just a matter of time before he gets on a team. Once he gets a chance to get in a game and play for 20 minutes, he’s going to steal the ball and dunk on someone, he’s going to show what he can do. … I believe he has a 10-year NBA career in him.”
Tip-in: In other news involving a UVM basketball alumnus, former Catamount standout Evan Fjeld joined a new NBA D-League team after being released by the Tulsa 66ers earlier this month. Fjeld has played three games for the Maine Red Claws, where he’s averaged eight minutes, two points and 1.7 rebounds. Fjeld was UVM’s leading scorer last season and led the Catamounts to an America East regular-season title.
