17
Active Players
2
2 NBA Championships
4
4 Conference Titles
8
8 Division Titles
The players who defined Houston Rockets basketball. Icons who shaped the franchise and left a legacy that endures.
Numbers hanging in the rafters at Toyota Center. The players who gave everything to Houston Rockets.
The Houston Rockets, originally based in San Diego (1967), moved to Houston in 1971. Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon — drafted first overall in 1984 in a class featuring Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley — became one of the greatest centers in NBA history. The Rockets won back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 during Jordan's first retirement, with Olajuwon delivering two of the most dominant individual playoff runs ever seen. Yao Ming's arrival in 2002 expanded the NBA's global reach to China. The James Harden era (2012-2021) produced innovative offensive basketball, including the Moreyball analytics revolution. The Rockets are now rebuilding with one of the NBA's most promising young cores, led by Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun.
San Diego Rockets(1967-1971)
Rudy Tomjanovich gave the Houston Rockets 34 years — 11 as a player, 11 as a scout and assistant, and 12 as head coach. He survived a punch that nearly killed him, rebuilt his career, and then led Houston to back-to-back championships. No number in franchise history represents more.
Conference
Western
Division
Southwest
Home Arena
Toyota Center
Founded
1967
Mascot
Clutch the Bear
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Franchise Legends
59
Years of History
Houston Rockets
Clyde Drexler
1995-1998
View profile →James Harden spent eight seasons as the face of the Houston Rockets, winning an MVP, eight All-Star selections, and transforming the franchise into a perennial contender. His #13 in the rafters honors the greatest scorer the Rockets have had since Hakeem Olajuwon.
Yao Ming transformed the Houston Rockets into a global phenomenon. Standing 7'6" and playing with unprecedented skill for a center of his size, Yao became one of the most beloved players in NBA history before injuries cut his career tragically short.
Hakeem Olajuwon is the greatest player in Houston Rockets history. A two-time NBA champion, Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Hall of Famer, The Dream defined an era of basketball unlike anyone before or since.
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