Houston Rockets players and history
438 players have played for the Houston Rockets franchise from 1967–68 to 2025–26. Before today's name it played as the San Diego Rockets (1967–1971). Hakeem Olajuwon played the most seasons for the club (17, 1984–2001).
Most seasons with the Rockets
| # | Player | Pos | Years | Seasons | All-Star |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 1984–2001 | 17 | 12 |
| 2 |  Calvin Murphy | PG | 1970–1983 | 13 | 1 |
| 3 |  Rudy Tomjanovich | PF | 1970–1981 | 11 | 5 |
| 4 | Robert Reid | SG/SF | 1977–1982, 1983–1988 | 10 | — |
| 5 | Allen Leavell | PG | 1979–1989 | 10 | — |
| 6 |  Yao Ming | C | 2002–2011 | 9 | 8 |
| 7 |  James Harden | PG/SG | 2012–2021 | 9 | 11 |
| 8 | Matt Bullard | PF/SF | 1990–1994, 1996–2001 | 9 | — |
| 9 |  Mike Newlin | SG | 1971–1979 | 8 | — |
| 10 |  Elvin Hayes | PF/C | 1968–1972, 1981–1984 | 7 | 12 |
| 11 |  Steve Francis | PG | 1999–2004, 2007–2009 | 7 | 3 |
| 12 |  Eric Gordon | SG | 2016–2023 | 7 | — |
| 13 |  Otis Thorpe | PF/C | 1988–1995 | 7 | 1 |
| 14 |  Clint Capela | C | 2014–2020, 2025–26 | 7 | — |
| 15 |  Chuck Hayes | C/PF | 2005–2011, 2015–16 | 7 | — |
| 16 |  Moochie Norris | PG | 1999–2006 | 7 | — |
| 17 |  Moses Malone | C | 1976–1982 | 6 | 12 |
| 18 |  Tracy McGrady | SG/SF | 2004–2010 | 6 | 7 |
| 19 |  Kenny Smith | PG | 1990–1996 | 6 | — |
| 20 |  Vernon Maxwell | SG/PG | 1989–1995 | 6 | — |
| 21 | Sleepy Floyd | PG | 1987–1993 | 6 | 1 |
| 22 |  Cuttino Mobley | SG | 1998–2004 | 6 | — |
| 23 |  Aaron Brooks | PG | 2007–2011, 2012–2014 | 6 | — |
| 24 |  Jae'Sean Tate | SF | 2020–2026 | 6 | — |
| 25 | Buck Johnson | SF | 1986–1992 | 6 | — |
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences, each credited on the NBA photo credits page.
Rockets players in 2025–26
The 12 best-known players on the club in 2025–26: Kevin Durant (SF/PF, 1 season with the Rockets), Steven Adams (C, 3 seasons with the Rockets), Amen Thompson (PG/SF, 3 seasons with the Rockets), Alperen Şengün (C, 5 seasons with the Rockets), Fred VanVleet (PG/SG, 3 seasons with the Rockets), Jeff Green (PF, 4 seasons with the Rockets), Dorian Finney-Smith (PF/SF, 1 season with the Rockets), Reed Sheppard (SG/PG, 2 seasons with the Rockets), Josh Okogie (SG, 1 season with the Rockets), Jabari Smith Jr. (PF, 4 seasons with the Rockets), Clint Capela (C, 7 seasons with the Rockets) and Aaron Holiday (PG, 3 seasons with the Rockets).
Old names and cities
- San Diego Rockets: 1967–1971
- Houston Rockets: today's name.
Every season under an old name counts for the Houston Rockets in the NBA Grid and on the played-for-both lists.
Played for both the Rockets and…
Clippers 82Kings 7876ers 71Warriors 62Hawks 61Knicks 61Suns 61Bucks 59Nets 58Lakers 57Wizards 55Bulls 53Thunder 51Grizzlies 48Spurs 48Pistons 47Trail Blazers 46Celtics 45Nuggets 45Timberwolves 44Raptors 44Pelicans 43Cavaliers 41Mavericks 41Hornets 39Heat 35Magic 34Jazz 34Pacers 31
Each list has every player who played for both clubs, with his seasons for each. All NBA team pairs
Houston Rockets: questions
How many players have played for the Houston Rockets?
438, counting every player whose Wikipedia infobox lists at least one NBA season with the franchise, from 1967–68 to 2025–26, under any of its names.
Who has played the most seasons for the Rockets?
Hakeem Olajuwon, with 17 NBA seasons (1984–2001), ahead of Calvin Murphy (13) and Rudy Tomjanovich (11).
Which team shares the most players with the Rockets?
The Clippers: 82 players played for both. The fewest: the Pacers, with 31.
Player facts from English Wikipedia's player infoboxes (CC BY-SA 4.0); team facts and player ids from Wikidata (CC0). Team logos are trademarks of their respective teams; AllStar Grid is not affiliated with the NBA or any team. Logos via TheSportsDB. Credits