Former Howard Basketball Star Bryce Harris Signs Deal With Houston Rockets

Former Howard University standout Bryce Harris has officially signed with the Houston Rockets, securing an opportunity inside an NBA organization just ahead of the league's regular-season roster deadline, according to reporting by HBCU Gameday and Yahoo Sports. The transaction marks another milestone for the 2026 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year as he works to establish a sustained professional basketball career.

The agreement is classified as an Exhibit 10 contract, according to reporting from RotoWire. That designation represents a one-year, non-guaranteed pact that allows NBA franchises to evaluate talent during training camp and the preseason. Under league guidelines, Exhibit 10 deals can be converted into two-way contracts before the start of the regular season, or they can offer players financial incentives if they are waived and subsequently join the franchise's NBA G League affiliate, which for Houston is the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Harris enters a competitive roster landscape in Houston, where the Rockets must finalize their official opening-night roster. While the signing does not guarantee an immediate regular-season spot in the NBA, it keeps Harris directly inside a developmental pipeline. If waived before the deadline, Harris could transition to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, giving him meaningful playing time against high-level professional talent while staying visible to NBA scouts and front-office evaluators.

The signing follows Harris' initial professional stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2026 NBA Summer League. After going undrafted, the Brentwood, New York, native earned a Summer League agreement following a predraft workout with Oklahoma City, according to Howard University Athletics. Harris maximized his limited run in Las Vegas, notably delivering a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double in 24 minutes during the Thunder's Summer League finale against the Brooklyn Nets.

Before turning pro, Harris spent five foundational seasons at Howard University under head coach Kenneth Blakeney. Rather than entering the NCAA transfer portal, Harris remained committed to the Bison, helping guide the program to MEAC tournament championships in 2023, 2024, and 2026, alongside three NCAA Tournament appearances. Blakeney identified Harris as the most significant recruit in program history, according to the university's athletic department, pointing to his role in securing four winning seasons for Howard for the first time since the 1980s.

Harris overcame significant adversity during his collegiate tenure, suffering a season-ending injury just seven games into the 2024-25 campaign before returning for a fifth season. In 2025-26, he started all 35 games, averaging 17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per contest while shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc, according to conference records. Those numbers earned him MEAC Player of the Year, All-Defensive Team honors, and the Nolan Richardson Award.

Harris also authored the signature moment of his collegiate career during the 2026 NCAA Tournament First Four, tallying 19 points and 14 rebounds to power Howard to an 86-83 victory over UMBC, capturing the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament win. "Howard embraced me first," Harris previously told HBCU Gameday when reflecting on his bond with the campus community. Now, Harris takes that proven HBCU development and leadership into Houston's system as he fights for his spot on the professional stage.