After he failed to deliver championships, though, the relationship began to go sour. He's one of the most popular NBA players of the past decade or so, and Houston fans treated him like a king during his first four seasons there. McGrady was the face of the franchise while there, even with Yao Ming in the fold. He did so on poor shooting percentages that never exceeded 43.1 percent, so maybe that's a reason why his teams weren't more successful. He failed to deliver a championship, but he did deliver a scoring average of 22.4 points during his five-plus seasons in red. He came over to Houston after leading the league in scoring in back-to-back years with the Orlando Magic, and the world was expected of him with his new team. Tracy McGrady was the Rockets from 2004-2010. If he brings a championship or two to the city, then maybe even top five. The type of impact he had in just one season with the team would suggest that he could rank in the top 10. The sky is the limit for Harden in Houston and will likely rank higher on the list before his tenure in the city ends.

His presence was likely what gave general manager Daryl Morey the confidence to bring in superstar Dwight Howard, and the duo will form a formidable tandem for the opposition to deal with. He truly filled the stat sheet and led the team to a playoff berth as the No. He was All-NBA Third Team in 2012-13 after dropping 25.9 points, grabbing 4.9 rebounds and dishing out 5.9 assists per game. His pure talent also rivals that of some of the top players. James Harden has only played one season in Houston, but his role as team leader and responsibility of speeding up what figured to be a long and strenuous rebuild automatically rank him amongst some of the best players in team history. 1 overall pick, a player who played three separate stints for Houston and a player who had a world of talent, the injury-ridden Lucas easily cracks the top 20. He averaged 11.2 points and 7.1 assists during his five years with the Rockets, but there's no denying the fact that those marks could have been higher had injuries (and drug addiction) not taken a toll on his final three seasons with the team.Īs a No. He was a very good player when on the court. He played in all 82 games in each of his first two seasons with the Rockets, but then played in 47, 65 and 49 games, respectively, in each of the next three. He played 80 games or more just five times in his 14-year career and played under 50 games four times. A rash of injuries and problems with drug addiction prevented him from reaching the pinnacle of the sport. 1 overall pick by the Rockets in the 1976 draft, Lucas is a prime example of what could have been. John Lucas played three separate stints with the Rockets from 1976-1978, 1984-19. Those players who left lasting imprints on the team and the league were placed higher on this list than others who simply fit in with the crowd. Overall impact on the team was also considered, even though that's not something that can be statistically measured. Players who played a majority of their careers with the Rockets also saw bumps in the rankings. 1 overall selection in the NBA draft helped many candidates, as did appearances on All-NBA teams or winning the Rookie of the Year award. In order to determine what sets certain players apart from others, several components were looked at. Players who also posted strong statistical lines in their careers with the Rockets were also considered. Key players who played on the championship teams in 19 were immediately considered, as were those players who are lucky enough to be in the Hall of Fame. The criteria for making this list are difficult relative to the competition, but not all that difficult in terms of understanding. Ever since the team's days as the San Diego Rockets, they have only grabbed two NBA championships, however. The top 10 is made up of nearly all Hall of Fame players, and that speaks of the type of teams the Rockets have put on the court over the years. The Houston Rockets have a storied history of Hall of Fame talent, making their top 25 players of all time list especially difficult to crack.

2000 houston rockets roster