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Patterson is expected to begin practicing with the Vipers on Wednesday.

Patterson averaged 4.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 15.2 minutes in six games for the Rockets during the NBA pre-season. He also averaged 9.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in five games (four starts) for the Rockets during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

“Considering the front court depth we have in Houston, we felt that, at this point in time, it was in the team's best interest to assign Patrick Patterson to the Vipers. We strongly value development through play and the upcoming stretch presented a timely opportunity for Patrick to join Vipers training camp, with the objective for him to play a primary role in the team's games, practices and individual development processes. We have invested extensively in our relationship with the Vipers and are very confident in [head coach] Chris Finch and his staff and believe that Patrick will find that the Rio Grande Valley is a great environment for his development and growth as a player. This type of resource was successfully utilized early in the career of other Rockets including Aaron Brooks, Joey Dorsey, Mike Harris and Jermaine Taylor, among others. We will accordingly track Patrick's development closely and feel that this is a vital process in his overall maturation,” said Vipers General Manager Gersson Rosas, who is also the Rockets Vice President of Player Personnel.

Selected after his junior season at Kentucky by Houston in the first round (14th overall) as an early entry candidate in the 2010 NBA Draft, Patterson finished his three-year career at Kentucky with averages of 16.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.57 blocks in 97 career games (97 starts). He was one of five Wildcats picked in the opening round of the 2010 NBA Draft, which was the first time five players from one school were chosen in the first round of the draft. Patterson became the 10th fastest player to reach the 1,000-point club at UK (58 games). He was a two- time All-SEC First-Team pick as a junior and sophomore, as well as a Second-Team selection as a freshman. Patterson earned First-Team All-SEC, AP Honorable Mention All-America, USBWA All-District IV Team and NABC All-District 21 Second-Team honors as a junior.