Houston Rockets center Hasheem Thabeet was assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ NBA Development League affiliate, it was announced today. The assignment marks the 48th time in the 2010-11 season an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate, and it is the second assignment for Thabeet, a second-year pro out of Connecticut.

Thabeet, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, is the 34th NBA player to be assigned to the NBA D-League this season, which is an all-time high. The Memphis Grizzlies, who drafted Thabeet, assigned him to the Dakota Wizards last season, where he averaged 13.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.8 blocks in six games.

Thabeet (7-3, 263) has appeared in 115 career NBA games, averaging 2.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.9 minutes.