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All-time five

All-time Houston Rockets starting five

The best Rockets at every position, drawn from the 1960s to the 2020s of franchise history — and what the SweepSzn engine makes of them as one starting five. Includes the franchise's years as the San Diego Rockets.

The starting five

  1. PGChris Paul2017–18 · 2010s
    PTS
    18.6
    REB
    5.4
    AST
    7.9
    11× All-Star · 10× All-NBA (4 1st) · 9× All-Defense
  2. SGJames Harden2018–19 · 2010s
    PTS
    36.1
    REB
    6.6
    AST
    7.5
    1× MVP · 10× All-Star · 7× All-NBA (6 1st)
  3. SFCharles Barkley1996–97 · 1990s
    PTS
    19.2
    REB
    13.5
    AST
    4.7
    1× MVP · 9× All-Star · 11× All-NBA (5 1st)
  4. PFDwight Howard2013–14 · 2010s
    PTS
    18.3
    REB
    12.2
    AST
    1.8
    8× All-Star · 8× All-NBA (5 1st) · 5× All-Defense
  5. CHakeem Olajuwon1992–93 · 1990s
    PTS
    26.1
    REB
    13.0
    AST
    3.5
    1× MVP · 12× All-Star · 12× All-NBA (6 1st) · 9× All-Defense
Projected record
67–15

The SweepSzn engine projects this five at 67-15 (A dynasty).

See the full breakdown →

How this five was picked: by career accolades, one per position. Players are ranked by All-Star selections plus MVP, All-NBA and All-Defense voting, weighted toward what they did for the Rockets, with full-time starters (30+ minutes a night) first. Each position goes to the best-ranked player who can play it, one season per player — no engine optimizing. How the engine works.

Legends by decade

The most decorated Rockets of each era, each shown in his best season with the franchise that decade.

1960s

  1. Elvin Hayes1969–70 · PF/C
    27.5 PTS · 16.9 REB · 2.0 AST
    12× All-Star · 6× All-NBA (3 1st) · 1× All-Defense
  2. Don Kojis1968–69 · SF
    22.5 PTS · 9.6 REB · 2.6 AST
    2× All-Star
  3. John Block1967–68 · PF/C
    20.2 PTS · 11.0 REB · 1.4 AST
    1× All-Star
  4. Stu Lantz1969–70 · PG/SG
    14.5 PTS · 3.1 REB · 3.5 AST
  5. Toby Kimball1967–68 · PF
    11.0 PTS · 11.7 REB · 1.8 AST

1970s

  1. Moses Malone1978–79 · C
    24.8 PTS · 17.6 REB · 1.8 AST
    3× MVP · 11× All-Star · 8× All-NBA (4 1st) · 1× All-Defense
  2. Elvin Hayes1970–71 · PF/C
    28.7 PTS · 16.6 REB · 2.3 AST
    12× All-Star · 6× All-NBA (3 1st) · 1× All-Defense
  3. Rick Barry1978–79 · SF
    13.5 PTS · 3.5 REB · 6.3 AST
    7× All-Star · 6× All-NBA (5 1st)
  4. Rudy Tomjanovich1973–74 · SF/PF
    24.5 PTS · 9.0 REB · 3.1 AST
    5× All-Star
  5. Calvin Murphy1973–74 · PG/SG
    20.4 PTS · 2.3 REB · 7.4 AST
    1× All-Star

1980s

  1. Hakeem Olajuwon1989–90 · C
    24.3 PTS · 14.0 REB · 2.9 AST
    1× MVP · 12× All-Star · 12× All-NBA (6 1st) · 9× All-Defense
  2. Moses Malone1981–82 · C
    31.1 PTS · 14.7 REB · 1.8 AST
    3× MVP · 11× All-Star · 8× All-NBA (4 1st) · 1× All-Defense
  3. Elvin Hayes1981–82 · PF/C
    16.1 PTS · 9.1 REB · 1.8 AST
    12× All-Star · 6× All-NBA (3 1st) · 1× All-Defense
  4. Rodney McCray1986–87 · SF/PF
    14.4 PTS · 7.1 REB · 5.4 AST
    2× All-Defense
  5. Ralph Sampson1983–84 · PF/C
    21.0 PTS · 11.1 REB · 2.0 AST
    3× All-Star · 1× All-NBA

1990s

  1. Hakeem Olajuwon1992–93 · C
    26.1 PTS · 13.0 REB · 3.5 AST
    1× MVP · 12× All-Star · 12× All-NBA (6 1st) · 9× All-Defense
  2. Charles Barkley1996–97 · SF/PF
    19.2 PTS · 13.5 REB · 4.7 AST
    1× MVP · 9× All-Star · 11× All-NBA (5 1st)
  3. Scottie Pippen1998–99 · SF
    14.5 PTS · 6.5 REB · 5.9 AST
    7× All-Star · 7× All-NBA (3 1st) · 10× All-Defense
  4. Clyde Drexler1996–97 · SG/SF
    18.0 PTS · 6.0 REB · 5.7 AST
    9× All-Star · 5× All-NBA (1 1st)
  5. Steve Francis1999–00 · PG/SG
    18.0 PTS · 5.3 REB · 6.6 AST
    3× All-Star

2000s

  1. Tracy McGrady2004–05 · SG/SF
    25.7 PTS · 6.2 REB · 5.7 AST
    7× All-Star · 7× All-NBA (2 1st)
  2. Yao Ming2008–09 · C
    19.7 PTS · 9.9 REB · 1.8 AST
    6× All-Star · 5× All-NBA
  3. Steve Francis2000–01 · PG/SG
    19.9 PTS · 6.9 REB · 6.5 AST
    3× All-Star
  4. Metta World Peace2008–09 · SF
    17.1 PTS · 5.2 REB · 3.3 AST
    1× All-Star · 1× All-NBA · 4× All-Defense
  5. Shane Battier2006–07 · SG/SF
    10.1 PTS · 4.1 REB · 2.1 AST
    2× All-Defense

2010s

  1. James Harden2018–19 · PG/SG
    36.1 PTS · 6.6 REB · 7.5 AST
    1× MVP · 10× All-Star · 7× All-NBA (6 1st)
  2. Chris Paul2017–18 · PG
    18.6 PTS · 5.4 REB · 7.9 AST
    11× All-Star · 10× All-NBA (4 1st) · 9× All-Defense
  3. Dwight Howard2013–14 · PF/C
    18.3 PTS · 12.2 REB · 1.8 AST
    8× All-Star · 8× All-NBA (5 1st) · 5× All-Defense
  4. Russell Westbrook2019–20 · PG
    27.2 PTS · 7.9 REB · 7.0 AST
    1× MVP · 9× All-Star · 9× All-NBA (2 1st)
  5. Kyle Lowry2010–11 · PG
    13.5 PTS · 4.1 REB · 6.7 AST
    6× All-Star · 1× All-NBA

2020s

  1. Alperen Şengün2024–25 · C
    19.1 PTS · 10.3 REB · 4.9 AST
    1× All-Star
  2. Fred VanVleet2023–24 · PG/SG
    17.4 PTS · 3.8 REB · 8.1 AST
    1× All-Star
  3. Amen Thompson2024–25 · SF
    14.1 PTS · 8.2 REB · 3.8 AST
    1× All-Defense
  4. John Wall2020–21 · PG
    20.6 PTS · 3.2 REB · 6.9 AST
    4× All-Star · 1× All-NBA · 1× All-Defense
  5. Christian Wood2021–22 · PF/C
    17.9 PTS · 10.1 REB · 2.3 AST

Think you can beat the all-time Rockets? Go for 82-0.

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