Rockets quietly hired the perfect coach to unlock their shooting potential

The Houston Rockets front office wanted to have a quiet offseason from a player movement perspective, but that did not stop it from making a major addition to the coaching staff. Chip Engelland, better known as "The Shot Doctor," has officially joined Ime Udoka's staff as an assistant coach.

Engelland spent the last four seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, helping the franchise win an NBA championship in 2025. Before that, he spent 17 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, winning two championships there as well.

Players who have benefited from working with Chip Engelland

Engelland's reputation is built on his ability to help players improve their jump shots. Some of the biggest names who have benefited from working with him include Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Danny Green, Richard Jefferson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Lu Dort.

Leonard entered the NBA as a defensive specialist. He shot just 29.1% from three during his final college season, which was a major reason he fell out of the lottery despite his elite athleticism. Engelland's influence paid immediate dividends. Leonard shot 37.6% from beyond the arc as a rookie and eventually developed into one of the league's most prolific jump shooters.

Parker also benefited greatly from Engelland's tutelage. He was always a quick, shifty guard who could get into the teeth of the defense and draw fouls, but he struggled to capitalize on those opportunities early in his career.

Through his first four seasons, Parker shot just 69.7% from the free-throw line. Engelland joined San Antonio's coaching staff after Parker's fourth season and quickly made an impact. Over the next four seasons, Parker improved to 74.7% from the line. During Parker's age-28 through age-32 seasons, he shot an impressive 80.4%.

Lu Dort followed a path similar to Leonard's. He entered the NBA as a defense-first player and shot just 33.3% from three over his first three seasons. During the past four seasons under Engelland, Dort has improved that mark to 37.0%.

The success stories go on and on, but the point is clear. There is plenty of evidence that Engelland has a unique ability to connect with players and help them become better shooters. That is exactly what this Houston Rockets team needs.

How will Chip Engelland help Houston?

The Rockets finished last season ranked 25th in three-pointers made per game and 28th in three-point attempts. It is difficult to win consistently in the modern NBA when a team cannot reliably knock down outside shots.

There are several reasons Houston struggled from beyond the arc. Amen Thompson, who led the Rockets in minutes played, and Alperen Sengun were both non-threats from three. Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. had disappointing shooting seasons from deep. Those four players accounted for four of Houston's six leaders in minutes played.

Engelland's biggest project will likely be Thompson. The fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft can do almost everything on a basketball court except consistently make jump shots. If Thompson develops into a league-average shooter, he should become a perennial All-Star. If he becomes better than league average, he could follow a career trajectory similar to Leonard's.

Hiring Engelland shows the Rockets' front office understands exactly where this team needs to improve. Bringing him in before training camp gives Houston as much time as possible to begin that development process. Now, Rockets fans will have to wait and see whether "The Shot Doctor" can work his magic once again.

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