Vipers' Harris called up to Rockets

Mike Harris was shaking off the cobwebs from a deep slumber Wednesday morning when he was asked about his promotion to the NBA.

The Houston Rockets called up Harris, who played 10 games for the Vipers this season, and signed him to a contract on Wednesday. Harris is the third Viper in franchise history to get called up to the NBA. He will join former Vipers player Aaron Brooks on the Rockets.

“I feel good,” Harris said. “It’s a nice accomplishment.”

It had been a whirlwind of a couple of days for Harris, who was trying to get in some rest before the Rockets’ game at Orlando on Wednesday.  He was called up to fill a roster spot left open because guard Chase Budinger is expected to miss several weeks with an ankle injury. According to several Houston media reports, Harris was signed after free agent guard and former Rocket Von Wafer failed a physical on Tuesday.

“This is the reason why we do the hybrid,” said Gersson Rosas, who serves as both the Rockets’ vice president of player personnel and Vipers’ general manager. “(Playing for the Vipers) gave him a chance to continue to develop and when you do have a need, he didn’t miss a beat.”

Rosas said Harris signed a non-guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season. If the Rockets cut him, he can return to the Vipers, who own his D-League rights this season. If he’s on the Rockets’ roster on Jan. 10 then his contract is guaranteed for the remainder of the season.

Harris was a key figure in the Vipers’ 7-3 start. The 6-6 forward started all 10 games and averaged a team-best 25.3 points, which was also second in the NBA D-League. He had two double-doubles and scored a D-League career-high 35 points at Tulsa on Saturday.

“Mike Harris has been the best player in the NBA Development League,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. “He will be a quality addition to our team. We are excited to add him.”

It will be Harris’ second stint with the Rockets. The former Rice star played in 20 games for Houston, including three in the playoffs, during the 2007-08 season.

“They told me that I had been doing everything right, but I didn’t know I was this close,” Harris said when asked if he expected to get a call up. “I did everything they asked me to do and if they ever got in a situation when they would need someone, then they would let me know.”

Harris is the third player from the D-League this season to get an NBA call up, following  Chris Hunter (Fort Wayne) to Golden State and Anthony Tolliver (Idaho) to Portland.

Harris’ absence leaves a huge scoring void for the Vipers, who play host to Austin on Saturday and Wednesday. Houston Rocket-assignee Joey Dorsey averages 14.4 points. Antonio Andreson averages 17.7.

“We are all really happy and excited for Mike,” Vipers coach Chris Finch said. “He has been a big part of our good start and an influential member of our team. We will miss his impact on and off the floor, but we are fully behind his move to the Rockets.”

David Hinojosa covers the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4442.