Chip Engelland Joining Rockets as Assistant Coach

Overview

• Multiple outlets report that Chip Engelland has left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Houston Rockets’ coaching staff as an assistant under Ime Udoka, with the accounts attributed to ESPN sources.
• The reports describe the move as a reunion: Engelland and Udoka worked together for years on Gregg Popovich’s Spurs staff and now will again collaborate in Houston.
• Engelland spent 17 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs before four seasons (2022–26) with the Thunder, where he focused on player shooting development and helped improve OKC’s three-point efficiency.
• He is widely regarded around the league as one of the NBA’s top shooting coaches and is expected to fill a similar shooting-development role with the Rockets rather than serve as a primary game-plan coach.
• The hire signals routine offseason staff turnover for the Thunder and gives the Rockets a specialist who could help maintain their three-point accuracy while encouraging higher outside-shot volume next season.