NBA Way to Goat for franchise: Houston Rockets

He formed an unforgettable duo with Yao and was a mirror of many stars that made heaven their favorite habitat. In his passage through the Rockets it was three times All-Star (2005-2007), but the team could never succeed in the playoffs.

In spite of everything, in these lands it was unforgettable. A cult player who was recorded in the retina of all fans of this franchise.

9. Rudy Tomjanovich (1970-1981)

“You never underestimate the heart of a champion.” That wonderful phrase we met Tomjanovich coach, but before that he was a determining player for the franchise. Faithful to the extreme, He played his entire career at the Rockets, the first year in San Diego and the remaining ten in Houston.

We have to place ourselves at the time: Tomjanovich was chosen in position 2 of the 1970 Draft from Michigan and helped the franchise to the transfer to Texas. In his 11 years in the franchise, Rudy averaged 17.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per meeting. Five times All-Star, its number 45 was removed by the franchise.

He was one of the toughest players in the history of rockets. As anecdotal data, in 1977 Kermit Washington almost killed him with a punch in the face that left him out for the whole season, although he then played three more years in the team. He retired third in games played (768), minutes disputed (25,714) and converted field shots (5,630). With 13,383 points, it is the fourth most prolific scorer in the history of Houston.

8. Calvin Murphy (1970-1983)

Like Tomjanovich, He lived the passage of the San Diego franchise to Houston and never left the team. All his seasons in the NBA were with the rockets uniformand we already know that this in the ranking is valid as gold.

Murphy, chosen in the second round of the 1970 Draft, was a relentless scorer. Energetic, fast, intense, was a symbol of an era. Despite being a very small stature player (1.75 meters), he managed to average 17.9 points, 4.4 assists and 1.5 robberies per gamebeing a maximum scorer of the franchise until Olajuwon surpassed him in 1994.

He left the game being one of the best free throw pitchers in history. It was only once there, but for the franchise, which withdrew his number 23, he was unforgettable.

He arrived at Hall of Fame in 1993.

7. Ralph Sampson (1983-1987)

Victor Wembanyama version 1.0, with height, elasticity and unique versatility. Sampson was one of the greatest ‘What if’ in the history of the NBA. Chosen with the 1983 Draft pick 1, the same raffle in which Drexler arrived in the leagueformed the unforgettable twin towers with Hakeem Olajuwon.

Sampson’s pass was very good in the rockets, but He never consolidated everything fantastic that his physique promised in the previous arrival. Averaged 19.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 tapas per meeting in its five -year period in the franchise. MVP of the 1985 All-Star (other stars game times), and All-Star in his first four seasons, helped Houston play the end of 1986, an instance in which he lost to Boston Celtics.

He was a rookie of the year in 1984. He was injured in the 1987-1988 season, emigrated to Golden State Warriors and his career, which included steps by Sacramento Kings, Washington Bullets, CB Málaga and Rockford Lightning, collapsed.

He was induced to Hall of Fame in 2012.

6. Clyde Drexler (1995-1998)

Clyde ‘The Glide’ Drexler was an extraordinary, sublime escort, who was only overshadowed by a boy named … Michael Jordan. Drexler is sixth among the best players in the history of rockets, but their genuine origin belongs to Portland Trail Blazers.

Drexler, however, gave Houston the best that can be offered: a championship, the 1995with Jordan away from the courts. The truth is that, in four years in the Rockets, Drexler averaged 19.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.9 robberies by appearance, being decisive to win. It was two times there in his stage in the franchise (1996 and 1997), and his number 22 rests in the sky of the Houston stadium.

Heaven artist, with an infinite takeoff and a sublime scoring capacity, was eternal by being part of the Dream Team that won gold in Barcelona 1992.

Chosen among the 50 best players in History (1996) and the 75 (2021), arrived at Hall of Fame in 2004.

5. Elvin Hayes (1968-1972 and 1981-1984)

Hayes played in two different periods of the franchise, being another survivor of the passage of the San Diego franchise to Houston. PICK number one of the rockets in 1968, The Big e had dazzling numbers in its passage through the team: 20.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.

Chosen in the teams of best 50 and best 75 players in NBA historyit became four times there. It is true, his only championship title won it with Washington Bullets in 1978, but it is still a Houston legend, being the top scorer of the season in his year of Rookie (28.4 units and 17.1 rebounds) and the following year Maximum Rebotero.

His number 44 was removed by the franchise in November 2022. He entered the Hall of Fame in 1990.

4. Yao Ming (2002-2011)

Yao was a truly exceptional player. Heir of the Twin Towers composed of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, The 2.29 meter Chinese giant had everything: height, post game, good effectiveness from the free line and an unusual silk hand for men of its size.

He played his entire NBA career with the rockets and that immerses him fully in the Top 5. His problem was in the injuries. After losing only two games in their first three seasons, 2005 was the beginning of continued pain. It all started with acute osteomyelitis in the big toe of the left foot, and then the situation was exacerbated to the point of definitively removing it from the courts in 2011.

Anyway, while it was decisive. Eight times All-Star, twice in the second ideal quintet of the NBA (2016 and 2017), Yao was selected for the Hall of Fame in 2016. The best Chinese player of all time won three Fiba Asia championships with his country (2001, 2003 and 2005). He finished his career in rockets with luxury numbers: 19 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per appearance, with 32.6 minutes average.

3. James Harden (2012-2021)

The beard is not originally from the Rockets, but played nine years in the franchise at a very high level. He did not win a championship, many times his selfish attitudes put him under the magnifying glass, but the truth is that despite everything he put Houston in a situation of competing, and that is why he is Top 3 of the history of the franchise.

Harden did not go well after his short circuit with Daryl Morey, but while he wore the Rockets uniform it was a weapon of mass destruction in attack: 29.6 points, 7.7 assists, 1.8 robberies and 6 rebounds per gamewith 36.2% field.

Three times maximum scorer in his stage in Houston (2018, 2019, 2020), maximum assistor in 2017, was also MVP in 2018. He came to play two conference finals with the franchise. Of the 11 times that was All-Star in his career, eight were in his stage in the Rockets (2013-2020), and was part of six ideal teams of the NBA (2014, 2015, 2017-2020). Heir of the Euro-Step of Manu Ginobili, Harden has individual merits very difficult to match.

Chosen in the team of the best 75 players in history, it will be, the day you retire, a future member of the Hall of Fame.

2. Moses Malone (1976–1982)

The best offensive rebounder in NBA history. His only title (1983) won him outside Houston, more precisely in Philadelphia 76ers, but still It is the only one in the entire list that won two MVP being a franchise player (1979 and 1982). Malone is one of the most undervalued players of all time, a force of nature that dominated the boards as no one.

Five times there, twice on the ideal NBA team in its stage in Rockets, averaged 24 points, 15 rebounds, 1.6 tapas and 1.5 assists By appearance. He was maximum reboot of the League in three different years in Houston: 1979 (17.6 average rebounds), 1981 (14.8) and 1982 (14.7).

Together with Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich, two other members of this select Goat list, helped the Rockets reach the NBA finals against the Celtics in 1981. At a time when the Load Management is every day, Malone was an iron man: he almost did not miss matches and came to averaged 42 minutes per game in 1982.

The Chairman of the Boardsas he was known, he played with eight different numbers in his career, but the Rockets recognized the number 24 as part of their rich history and withdrew it in 1998. Chosen among the best 50 and 75 best in history, Malone entered the Hall of Fame in 2001.

1. Hakeem Olajuwon (1984-2001)

The Dream. The elegance made center. For many, The owner of the best movements in the story in the low post, both with the feet and with the hands. A 2.13 meter ballet dancerborn in Lagos, Nigeria, which led the Rockets to win two NBA championships (1994 and 1995), being MVP of the end on both opportunities.

He played 17 uninterrupted years in the Rockets. They were not always happy years, but still resisted and never tested the taste of any other franchise until the end, when he retired wearing the Toronto Raptors uniform. Olajuwon, determining, fantastic, averaged 22.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 robberies and 3.2 tapas per game.

Hakeem arrived in the 1984 draft and filled the Gloria franchise. It was MVP in 1994, 12 times All-Star, six times a member of the ideal league team, five times a member of the seasonal defensive team, twice defensive player of the year, twice a maximum reboot of competition and three times maximum plugger. A career as prolific as incredible, which had it in the NBA top 5 for almost three years.

His permanence in the team and his ability mixed with persistence, made his name recorded in stone to be Leader in countless sections, including: parties (1,177), converted field shots (10,555), free throws (7,537), offensive rebounds (3,936), defensive (9,446), total (13,382), robberies (2,088), tapas (3,740) and points (26,511).

Unquestionable Goat of Rockets for countless merits, its number 34 was removed by the franchise in 2002.

Hakeem is part of the Hall of Fame since 2008.