After earning playing time throughout the NBA preseason, Chris Clemons had his Exhibit 10 contract with the Houston Rockets converted to a two-way deal Monday.
 
As a two-way player, Clemons will split time between the Rockets and their NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.  He may spend up to 45 days on Houston's roster throughout the NBA season and may be converted to a standard contract at some point.

"What an amazing accomplishment!  It comes as no surprise to any of us," said Campbell head coach Kevin McGeehan.  "Chris was an Honor Roll student,was never late to a practice, lift or study hall. He diligently studied film even before he played his first game as a freshman and took notes. Becoming the best, becoming a pro has always driven Chris. When all your actions and your approach in all aspects align with your goal, anything is possible. I am so happy for Chris and his family.  They believed in us and we believed in him. It is a great day for Campbell Basketball our University and for Chris Clemons. The best is yet to come. "

The nation's leading scorer in 2019, Clemons competed with Houston in the NBA Summer League and then averaged 12.5 points in six preseason games with the Rockets. 
 
Houston opens the season Thursday at home against the Milwaukee Bucks in a game that will be televised by TNT.  After two more home dates against the New Orleans Pelicans (Oct. 26) and Oklahoma City Thunder (Oct. 28), the Rockets travel to Washington Oct. 30 and a building where Clemons scored 45 points last November against Georgetown.
 
Clemons averaged a school and Big South Conference record 30.1 points in 2018-19 and became Campbell's first All-American in the program's Division I era (since 1977-78).  The Big South Conference player of the year, Clemons finished his career with 3,225 points, third-highest in NCAA Division I history.
 
A native of Raleigh, N.C., and 2015 Millbrook High School graduate, Clemons led Campbell to a 20-13 overall record, a Big South regular season title and the program's first NIT berth during his senior campaign. He graduated last month with a degree in business administration.
 
One of only 10 players in NCAA Division I history to score 3,000 career points, Clemons matched the all-time record for consecutive games scoring in double figures (115) set by Lionel Simmons of LaSalle (1987-90). Clemons scored in double figures 129 times in 130 career outings with 93 games of 20-plus points, 31 of at least 30 and 5 games of 40 or more.
 
During his senior year, Clemons topped the 40-point mark on four occasions, including a season-high 48-point outburst vs. Hampton and a 45-point effort at Georgetown.  He scored a career-high 51 points in a win over UNC Asheville in the 2017 Big South Conference tournament.
 
He was named MVP of the Portsmouth Invitational and was the West team MVP at the Reese's NABC All-Star Game at the 2019 Final Four.
 
Clemons was the first Campbell alum to participate in the NBA Summer League since Eric Griffin, who has competed in summer league five times, most recently in 2017.
 
When Clemons makes his debut, it will mark the first time a Campbell alum has played at basketball's highest level since Dec. 16, 1973 when George Lehmann last appeared for the ABA's Memphis Tams against the San Antonio Spurs.  A junior college All-American at Campbell in 1960, Lehmann also appeared in 66 games over two seasons with the NBA's St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks, the last time coming on Nov. 13, 1968 at the Seattle Supersonics. He went on to play 310 games over six ABA seasons.