The Summit at Houston

Lore & Background

The Rockets were established in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets, an expansion team. In 1971, they relocated to Houston. The team won only 15 games in their debut season. In the 1968 NBA draft, they selected Elvin Hayes with the first overall pick, leading to their first playoff appearance.

After years of losing records, the Rockets traded for Moses Malone in 1976–77, reaching the Eastern Conference finals. Led by Malone, they reached their first NBA Finals in 1981, losing to the Boston Celtics. In the 1984 NBA draft, they drafted Hakeem Olajuwon first overall. Paired with Ralph Sampson as the 'Twin Towers,' they reached the 1986 NBA Finals, again losing to the Celtics.

Rudy Tomjanovich became head coach in 1991–92, ushering in the most successful period. Led by Olajuwon, the Rockets won their first championship in 1994 against the New York Knicks, and repeated in 1995 with a sweep of the Orlando Magic after acquiring Clyde Drexler. Charles Barkley joined in 1996, but the team could not advance past the Western Conference finals. By 2001, Olajuwon, Drexler, and Barkley had all left.

In the early 2000s, the Rockets were led by Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, but both struggled with injuries and the team underachieved in the playoffs. After Yao's retirement in 2011, the Rockets rebuilt. James Harden was acquired in 2012, leading the team to two Western Conference finals appearances (both losses to the Golden State Warriors) and no losing seasons in his nine-year tenure. After the 2020–21 season, Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, starting another rebuilding period.

Reader's Guide

The Rockets have won two NBA championships (1994, 1995) and four Western Conference titles. Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, and James Harden have each been named NBA MVP while playing for the Rockets, for a total of four MVP awards. The team, under general manager Daryl Morey, was renowned for popularizing advanced statistical analytics in player acquisitions and style of play.