Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are a prestigious institution in the American big league. The Texas franchise won back-to-back NBA championship titles in the 1990s. Logically, it has seen some of basketball’s finest pass through its doors. Here are nine legendary Rockets players.

Yao Ming

The Chinese pivot first went through a period of adaptation before becoming hard to stop in the NBA. Although he never made it past the conference semi-finals, he left his mark on the Houston Rockets. The Asian star has been linked to the Texas franchise throughout his NBA career. The support of millions of Chinese fans has propelled him to the NBA All-Star Game on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, physical problems linked to his very tall stature forced him to retire prematurely at the age of 31. His jersey number can no longer be worn by any Rockets player, since his retirement in 2017. Today, he is president of the Chinese Basketball Federation.

Tracy McGrady

Tracy McGrady has never won an NBA title. However, he remains a legendary Texas franchise basketball player. Alongside Yao Ming, Vince Carter’s cousin was the team’s star for several seasons. His 13 points scored in 33 seconds to snatch victory in a derby against the Spurs will remain engraved for life in the memories of Houston Rockets fans. Now a television consultant like many former players, he brings his expertise to the table. Tracy McGrady was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017. He is one of the 100 greatest players in NBA history.

James Harden

Championship MVP with the Rockets, James Harden is the most famous bearded man in the world of basketball. His celebrations after scoring baskets have been copied by many. A serial scorer on the floor, he was also known to frequent the city’s strip clubs. When he left H-town for Brooklyn, one of them removed Harden’s jersey from the ceiling of its den. The face of Adidas, Harden has his own line of clothing and shoes. After starting his career in OKC as a sixth man, his signing in Houston allowed him to emancipate himself and quickly become an NBA superstar.

Clyde Drexler

A star winger in the 80s and 90s, Clyde Drexler enjoyed some great seasons with the Houston Rockets jersey on his back. With the Texans, he won his only NBA championship ring in 1995. It’s certainly the best memory of his career. This title is undoubtedly particularly significant for him, who previously studied at the University of Houston. The ten-time All-Star also concluded his NBA basketball career in the city. He was one of the public’s darlings. He was nicknamed “The Glide”. His extraordinary athleticism made him a dunkeer extraordinaire. Drexler was inducted into the American Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004. His jersey number, 22, has been retired by every team he has played for since college.

Hakeem Olajuwon

In history, Hakeem Olajuwon will go down as one of the first African basketball players to dominate in the NBA. Even today, the Nigerian-born player is considered a legend. He is a role model and a source of inspiration for many young, tall basketball players. First choice in the 1984 draft, the famous pivot played sixteen seasons for the Houston Rockets. He won back-to-back NBA championship titles in 1994 and 1995. Not everyone can achieve a back-to-back. And no one can take that away from him. Tough as nails, Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon was very difficult to move on the floor. He gave many of his opponents a hard time. Today, a player like Joel Embiid follows in his footsteps.

Moses Malone

Moses Malone’s career as a professional basketball player has taken him far and wide, but his best years were spent in Houston. A very strong individual, he averaged 31.8 points per game in his final season with the Rockets. This monster of the floor was crowned MVP of the Great American League three times (including two years in a row). He also finished as the competition’s top rebounder six times during his career. Moses Malone lived through the merger of the ABA league and the NBA. He passed away prematurely at the age of 60 in 2015.

Calvin Murphy

Calvin Murphy joined the Rockets in 1970, when they were based in San Diego. He made his mark in the NBA as a very good defender and excellent shooter. In terms of shooting percentage, Murphy is one of the best free-throw shooters in NBA history. He is also one of the franchise’s all-time leading scorers. Retired since 1983, he joined the Houston Rockets coaching staff for three seasons, from 1990 to 1993. The latter year corresponds to his induction into the American Basketball Hall of Fame.

Ralph Sampson

First draft pick in 1983, voted rookie of the year in 1984, this 2m24 giant was an NBA sensation. With the Houston Rockets, Ralph Sampson dominated the league in his very first season. He was even selected for the All-Star Game after only a few months in the league. The following year, in his sophomore year, he was crowned MVP of the All-Star Game. Sampson finished the season in the league’s second-best typical major five. A year later, he participated as a team in his first and last career NBA Finals. His departure from Houston in 1987 coincided strangely with his decline. By 1989, he had become an under-performing bench player, and left the NBA through the back door in 1992.

Kenny Smith

Before becoming one of the most famous TV basketball commentators in the USA, Kenny Smith was an NBA basketball player. He played for six seasons with the Houston Rockets. As a point guard, he contributed to the Texas franchise’s back-to-back NBA championship titles in the 1990s. For this reason, Kenny Smith remains a legendary figure within the Rockets. Even if he was never an All-Star.