The Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets weren’t born in Texas — they started life in San Diego in 1967. The name “Rockets” was chosen because San Diego was nicknamed the “City in Motion” and was home to aerospace and missile industries. But when the franchise relocated to Houston in 1971, the name suddenly became perfect. Houston was the home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where astronauts trained and mission control guided America’s space race. The “Rockets” identity now fit the city like no other: Houston became known as “Space City,” and the team’s name tied them directly to one of the great modern frontiers.

The city itself was named after General Sam Houston, one of the most important figures in Texas history. A veteran of the War of 1812 and former governor of Tennessee, Sam Houston moved to Texas in the 1830s and became the commander of Texian forces in their fight for independence from Mexico. In 1836, he led his army to a stunning victory at the Battle of San Jacinto, capturing General Santa Anna and securing Texas’s independence. Later, Sam Houston served as president of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator, and governor. His name became synonymous with courage, leadership, and statehood — a legacy the city of Houston proudly carries.

Houston’s growth explains why rockets were more than just symbolism. From a small trading post on Buffalo Bayou, the city became a major port and railroad hub. The discovery of oil at Spindletop in 1901 propelled Houston into the centre of the global energy industry, and the city’s refineries and shipping turned it into one of America’s great boomtowns. By the mid-20th century, Houston was also chosen as the heart of the U.S. space programme. When Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon in 1969, his first call back to Earth went through Houston — a fact that forever linked the city with rockets, astronauts, and exploration.

On the court, the Rockets quickly established themselves as one of the NBA’s iconic franchises. The arrival of Hakeem Olajuwon, the Nigerian-born centre nicknamed “The Dream,” transformed the team in the 1980s and 1990s. Olajuwon led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA Championships in 1994 and 1995, defeating the Knicks and Magic, and cementing Houston’s place in basketball history. Later stars like Yao Ming, who became a global ambassador for the game, and James Harden, with his scoring brilliance, carried the Rockets through the 2000s and 2010s, keeping them relevant on the world stage.

Their home courts have echoed that ambition. From the old Summit to the futuristic Astrodome to today’s Toyota Center, Houston’s arenas have hosted not just basketball but the city’s pride as an energy and space capital. The Rockets’ red-and-black colour schemes and streaking basketball logo resemble a rocket blasting upward — fitting for a city whose skyline itself feels like a launchpad.

The Houston Rockets: Sam Houston’s legacy of courage, oil rigs and shipping docks, NASA headsets and moon landings, Olajuwon’s footwork and Harden’s step-backs. Their badge is a rocket in flight; fast, ferocious and packed with ambition.