The Rockets did not offer the usual photo op act, posing their draft pick with his uniform for the cameras. But in the unusual case of Malick Badiane, their second-round pick last week, this was not because they were not ready to unveil next season's uniforms.

Fittingly for a 19-year-old prospect from Senegal, the idea of Badiane's trip to the Rockets' training facility on Wednesday was to train rather than pose. With so much to do, he went to work with the coaches hired Wednesday.

Less certain is when he will eventually wear a Rockets uniform.

Badiane will join the team next week for its practices for the Summer Pro League and is expected to play for the Rockets' entry in Long Beach.

But after those few summer weeks of work, Badiane is expected to return to Germany for at least one more season before the Rockets will again consider whether he is ready to try to make it in the NBA.

"He has a contract over there," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said of Langen, Germany, where Badiane is expected to play for a farm team for the Opel Skyliners. "That has a little to do with it. But we feel like when he's ready, we can get him.