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BEST NBA PLAYERS OF EVERY TEAM PRESENTS

The Best Houston Rockets of All Time

Updated February 25, 2020 34.1k votes 4.5k voters 63.0k views73 items

List RulesPlease rank the players based only on their time with the Rockets

A list of the best Houston Rockets of all time. For much of its history, the Houston Rockets have been one of the most consistent teams in the NBA. The team has had few poor seasons and they have, it's been to the Rockets benefit. The few times that Houston has had the number one draft pick, the team has struck gold landing some of the greatest players in team history. Few, if any, basketball experts would dispute that Elvin Hayes, Ralph Sampson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming are among the best centers ever. All of have played center for Houston and all were drafted with the top overall pick in the NBA Draft. Though he wasn't drafted by Houston, Moses Malone is another great big man who has played for the Rockets.

While the Rockets have a rich history with big men, even having some of the best players ever on its roster, that doesn't mean the team has neglected other positions. Calvin Murphy is one of the best free shooting guards ever and the team's acquisition of James Harden made the Rockets one of the most dangerous in the league. Harden is considered one of the best current players in the NBA.

Nowadays, he is known to the masses as an announcer, but Kenny Smith's clutch shooting in the 1995 NBA Finals is one of the greatest in Rockets history and helped them win a second consecutive championship.

This is a list of the best Houston Rockets ever. If you see someone who is missing, feel free to add him. Vote or rerank this list of the greatest Houston Rockets of all time with who you think should be at the top.

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1
2,593
277
Hakeem Olajuwon
Center
Age: 56
Birthplace: Lagos, Nigeria
Teams: Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors
2
2,388
558
James Harden
Shooting guard
Age: 31
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Number: 13
Teams: Brooklyn Nets
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3
1,225
270
Clyde Drexler
Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: 58
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets
4
1,353
392
Moses Malone
Power forward, Center
Age: 64
Birthplace: Virginia
Teams: Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Buffalo Braves, Houston Rockets
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#165 of 1,816 The Best Athletes Of All Time#5 of 78 The Best Philadelphia 76ers of All Time
5
1,623
473
Yao Ming
Center
Age: 39
Birthplace: Shanghai, China
Teams: Houston Rockets
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#23 of 161 The Best NBA Players With No Championship Rings#24 of 165 The Greatest NBA Centers of All Time
6
1,750
557
Tracy McGrady
Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: 41
Birthplace: Bartow, Florida, United States of America
Teams: Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors
7
572
182
Calvin Murphy
Point guard
Age: 72
Birthplace: Norwalk, Connecticut, United States of America
Teams: Houston Rockets, San Diego Rockets
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#110 of 175 The Greatest Shooting Guards in NBA History#80 of 227 The Greatest Offensive Players in NBA History

8
717
179
Chris Paul
Point guard
Age: 35
Birthplace: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Number: 3
Teams: Phoenix Suns
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9
688
283
Elvin Hayes
Power forward, Center
Age: 74
Birthplace: Rayville, Louisiana
Teams: Washington Wizards, Baltimore Bullets, Houston Rockets, San Diego Rockets
10
555
201
Robert Horry
Small forward, Power forward
Age: 49
Birthplace: Maryland, United States of America
Teams: Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers
11
576
242
Kenny Smith
Point guard
Age: 55
Birthplace: Jamaica, New York City, New York, United States of America
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets
12
552
238
Ralph Sampson
Center
Age: 59
Birthplace: Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States of America
Teams: Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors
13
325
116
Vernon Maxwell
Shooting guard
Age: 55
Birthplace: Gainesville, Florida
Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic
14
345
97
Eric Gordon
Shooting guard
Age: 32
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana
Number: 10
Teams: Houston Rockets
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#21 of 53 The Best Current Wing Players in the NBA#9 of 65 The Greatest Indiana Hoosiers Basketball Players of All Time
15
390
168
Rudy Tomjanovich
Power forward
Age: 71
Birthplace: Hamtramck, Detroit, Michigan
Teams: Houston Rockets, San Diego Rockets
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#86 of 213 The Best White Players in NBA History#9 of 46 The Greatest Michigan Basketball Players of All Time
16
657
331
Steve Francis
Point guard, Shooting guard
Age: 42
Birthplace: USA, Takoma Park, Maryland
Teams: Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, New York Knicks
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#40 of 69 All NBA Rookie Of The Year Award Winners, Ranked#50 of 150 The Greatest Point Guards in NBA History
17
455
188
Dikembe Mutombo
Center
Age: 53
Birthplace: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets
18
369
172
Otis Thorpe
Power forward, Center
Age: 57
Birthplace: Boynton Beach, Florida
Teams: Washington Wizards, Kansas City Kings, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets
19
715
395
Charles Barkley
Small forward, Power forward
Age: 57
Birthplace: Leeds, Alabama, United States of America
Teams: Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets
20
337
152
Sam Cassell
Point guard
Age: 51
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland
Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets
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#134 of 786 The Top NBA Players Of All Time#49 of 133 The Best Boston Celtics of All Time
21
365
62
Clint Capela
Center
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
Number: 15
Teams: Houston Rockets
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22
277
133
Shane Battier
Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: 42
Birthplace: Birmingham, Michigan
Number: 31
Teams: Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies
23
313
181
Trevor Ariza
Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: 35
Birthplace: Miami, Florida
Number: 0
Teams: Sacramento Kings
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#19 of 42 The Greatest UCLA Basketball Players of All Time#34 of 107 The Greatest Lakers of All Time
24
174
65
Mario Elie
Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: 56
Birthplace: New York City, New York
Teams: Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors
25
156
23
P. J. Tucker
Small forward
Age: 34
Birthplace: Raleigh, North Carolina
Number: 17
Teams: Houston Rockets
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#152 of 168 The Greatest Power Forwards in NBA History#122 of 294 The Top 100+ NBA Players Today

Clint Capela