Aug 3, 2007, 19:05 GMT
Houston, TX - The Houston Rockets re-signed free agent forward Chuck Hayes Friday. The terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Hayes, a 6-foot-6, 238-pound forward who went undrafted out of Kentucky in 2005, was a pleasant surprise during Houston's run to the playoffs in 2006-07. The undersized free agent pickup ended up starting 43 games, averaging 5.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. The Rockets won 30 of the 43 games he started, including 10 of the first 11.
'Chuck was a big part of our success last season,' said Houston general manager Daryl Morey. 'We are happy he will be part of our future for some time. His abilities to rebound and defend at an elite level are critical to winning.'
A native of San Leandro, California, Hayes scored 1,211 points in his four years at Kentucky, good for 35th in the history of the school's storied program. He also tied a UK record by starting 110 consecutive games, and was an integral part of Wildcats teams that won two SEC championships, two SEC Tournament titles, reached three Sweet 16s and two Elite Eights.
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