The Houston Rockets were one of the NBA's top franchises for many years. This past season saw a return to that status. After missing the playoffs for four straight seasons – and posting three of its worst in franchise history – Houston returned to the postseason in 2024-25 with its first division title since 2019-20, catching the attention of folks at NBA betting sites.
While the past quarter-century paled to the team's 25 years before that, there still were several successes and prominent players worth noting since 2000. Who were the best Rockets over the past 25 years? RotoWire poured over the stats and records to come up with the following starting five.
Houston Rockets Quarter Century Team Members
The Rockets have posted a .500 or better record 20 times since 2000. They made the playoffs 14 times and won at least one postseason round six times. In 2015 and 2018, Houston reached the Western Conference final, falling both times to eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
This list was put together using a format of two forwards, two guards and a center. Turn to RotoWire for trusted sports betting apps reviews.
Steve Francis (2000 to 2004 and 2007 to 2008)
Stevie Franchise ranks as one of the greatest Rockets of all time. During the past quarter-century, Steve Francis made three NBA All-Star Games. He also had two seasons where he averaged at least 21 points, six rebounds and six assists per game. Francis made the postseason only once in his nine-year career. That came in 2003-04 when the Rockets fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. In the five games for that series, Francis was his typical self, averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.6 assists.
James Harden (2012 to 2021)
Only Hakeem Olajuwon had more career Win Shares (according to Basketball Reference) for the Rockets than James Harden, who averaged nearly 30 points a game (29.6) over his eight-plus seasons in H-town. The guard was an All-Star in each of eight full seasons as a Rocket, made six All-NBA First Teams, led the league in assists in 2016-17 (11.2 per game) and won three scoring titles. In 2018-19, Harden averaged 36.1 ppg. Only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan have posted higher seasonal averages in NBA history. He became the third Rocket to win an NBA MVP Award in 2017-18. Harden also owns team records for 3-pointers, assists, free throws and triple-doubles.
For the latter, Harden had 46 in his Rockets career, 32 more than Olajuwon, who ranks second. In fact, Harden's 46 are more than the next five Rockets on the list (Olajuwon, Alperen Sengun, Russell Westbrook, Clyde Drexler and Francis) combined. Those five have recorded 43 so far, though Sengun is young. Harden props at sports betting sites are still going strong with him now a Los Angeles Clipper.
Tracy McGrady (2004 to 2010)
One of the league's best swingmen during his day, T-Mac came to Houston after winning back-to-back scoring titles for the Orlando Magic. While he never won a scoring title with the Rockets, Tracy McGrady averaged 22.7 points a game in his five-plus seasons in Houston. He also made three NBA All-Star Game appearances and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting three times.
Luis Scola (2007 to 2012)
The 6-foot-9 power forward was 27 when he arrived in the NBA, as the Argentina native played several seasons in Spain. Scola averaged 14.5 points in his five seasons with the Rockets, but Luis Scola was an even bigger contributor on the other end of the court. Twice, he ranked in the top 15 in the NBA's Defensive Rating. Scola also twice ranked in the top 20 for rebounds per game. In 2010-11, Scola had his best season with the Rockets. He averaged 18.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Yao Ming (2002 to 2011)
The Rockets made the 7-foot-6 Yao Ming the first pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, and much like other big men taken first by the franchise (Olajuwon, Ralph Sampson and Elvin Hayes), Ming had a lot of potential. In eight seasons, the center averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds a game. Unfortunately, injuries over the second half of his career hindered Ming. After playing in 80 or more games in each of his first three seasons, Ming missed substantial portions of the next three with injuries to his knees, ankles and feet – due mostly to his superhuman frame.
He had his best statistical averages during the injury-riddled seasons, scoring 25 ppg in 48 games during the 2006-07 season and averaging at least 10 rpg in 2005-06 and 2007-08, when he played in 57 and 55 games, respectively. After missing the 2009-10 season, Ming played only five games in the following season, which would be his final one. Despite those injuries, Ming ranks sixth in Win Shares for Houston at 65.9, showing he was both one of the Rockets' greatest players and one of their biggest "what if" cases.
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