The Houston Rockets joined the NBA in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets, and moved to Houston in 1971, where they have been located ever since.

Six-time NBA All-Star Yao Ming was drafted by the Rockets in 2002 with the first overall pick of the draft.

In the first four drafts the Rockets participated in, each team had a total of 90 draft choices (14 in 1967, and 19 each from 1968 to 1971). For two drafts in 1972 and 1973, there were eight rounds, from 1974 to 1976 and 1978 to 1984, the draft was 10 rounds long.[1] However, in 1985, the draft was shortened to seven rounds, and in 1989, the NBA agreed with the National Basketball Players' Association to limit drafts to two rounds, an arrangement that has remained the same up the present time.[2] Before each draft, an NBA draft lottery determines the first round selection order for the teams that missed the playoffs during the prior season.[2] Teams can also trade their picks, which means that in some drafts teams may have more or less than two draft picks, although they must have at least one first-round pick every other year.[3]

In 1968, the Rockets selected Elvin Hayes, who became an eventual Hall of Famer and one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players, with the first pick of the draft.[4] The Rockets again had the first pick of the draft in 1984, after winning a coin flip for the first pick against the Portland Trail Blazers, and they used it to select Hakeem Olajuwon, who later led the Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships in 1994 and 1995.[5] In 2002, the Rockets won the first pick of the 2002 NBA draft through the lottery, and they chose Yao Ming, who became a six-time All-Star[6] before his career was prematurely ended by chronic foot and ankle injuries.[7]

Abbreviation Meaning
PG Point guard
SG Shooting guard
SF Small forward
PF Power forward
C Center
Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer First Overall NBA Draft Pick Selected for an NBA All-Star Game

Selections

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Year Round Pick Player Nationality Position College/High School/Club
1967 1 7 Pat Riley[n 1]   USA SG Kentucky
1967 2 18 Bob Netolicky   USA PF Drake
1968 1 1 Elvin Hayes   USA PF/C Houston
1968 2 15 John Trapp   USA SF Nevada Southern
1969 1 6 Bingo Smith   USA SG Tulsa
1969 2 21 Bernie Williams   USA SG La Salle
1970 1 2 Rudy Tomjanovich   USA SF/PF Michigan
1970 2 18 Calvin Murphy   USA PG Niagara
1971 1 7 Cliff Meely   USA PF/C Colorado
1971 2 24 Mike Newlin   USA SG Utah
1972 2 20 John Gianelli   USA PF/C Pacific
1973 1 6 Ed Ratleff   USA SG/SF Long Beach State
1974 1 5 Bobby Jones   USA SF North Carolina
1974 2 23 Gus Bailey   USA SG/SF UTEP
1975 1 11 Joe Meriweather   USA C Southern Illinois
1975 2 29 Jim Blanks   USA SF/SG Gardner–Webb
1976 1 1 John Lucas (from Atlanta)[a]   USA PG Maryland
1976 2 27 Phil Hicks   USA PF Tulane
1977 2 34 Larry Moffett (from Boston)[b]   USA PF UNLV
1977 2 40 Robert Reid   USA PF St. Mary's (Texas)
1978 2 28 Buster Matheney (from Boston)[b]   USA PF Utah
1979 1 17 Lee Johnson   USA C East Texas State
1979 2 42 Paul Mokeski (from Seattle)[c]   USA C Kansas
1980 2 27 John Stroud (from New Jersey)[d]   USA PF Mississippi
1980 2 38 Terry Stotts   USA PF Oklahoma
1980 2 43 Billy Williams (from Seattle)[c]   USA PF Clemson
1981 2 45 Ed Turner (from Boston)[e]   USA SF Texas A&I
1982 1 16 Terry Teagle   USA SG Baylor
1982 2 42 Jeff Taylor   USA SG Texas Tech
1983 1 1 Ralph Sampson   USA C Virginia
1983 1 3 Rodney McCray   USA SF Louisville
1984 1 1 Hakeem Olajuwon   NGA C Houston
1985 1 19 Steve Harris   USA SG Tulsa
1986 1 20 Buck Johnson   USA SF/PF Alabama
1986 2 43 Dave Feitl   USA C UTEP
1987 2 35 Doug Lee   USA SG/SF Purdue
1988 1 16 Derrick Chievous   USA SF Missouri
1990 1 12 Alec Kessler (traded to Miami)[f]   USA C Georgia
1991 1 20 John Turner   USA PF Phillips
1991 2 47 Keith Hughes (traded to Cleveland)[g]   USA PF Rutgers
1991 2 51 Zan Tabak (from Cleveland)[h]   CRO C Jugoplastika Split (Croatia)
1992 1 11 Robert Horry   USA PF Alabama
1992 2 41 Popeye Jones   USA PF Murray State
1992 2 53 Curtis Blair   USA PF Richmond
1993 1 24 Sam Cassell   USA PG Florida State
1993 2 46 Richard Petruska   SVK PF UCLA
1993 2 50 Marcelo Nicola   ARG PF Taugres (Spain)
1994 2 41 Albert Burditt   USA PF Texas
1995 2 41 Erik Meek (from Dallas)[i]   USA C Duke
1996 2 30 Othella Harrington (from Vancouver)[j]   USA PF Georgetown
1996 2 42 Randy Livingston (from Vancouver)[j]   USA SG LSU
1996 2 50 Terrell Bell   USA PF Georgia
1997 1 24 Rodrick Rhodes   USA SF USC
1997 2 29 Serge Zwikker (from Vancouver)[j]   NED C North Carolina
1998 1 14 Michael Dickerson   USA SG Arizona
1998 1 16 Bryce Drew   USA PG Valparaiso
1998 1 18 Mirsad Türkcan   TUR PF Efes Pilsen (Turkey)
1998 2 41 Cuttino Mobley   USA SG Rhode Island
1999 1 22 Kenny Thomas   USA PF New Mexico
1999 2 44 Tyrone Washington (from Phoenix)[k]   USA PF Mississippi State
1999 2 50 Venson Hamilton   USA PF Nebraska
2000 1 9 Joel Przybilla (traded to Milwaukee)[l]   USA C Minnesota
2000 2 38 Eduardo Najera (traded to Dallas)[m]   MEX SF Oklahoma
2001 1 13 Richard Jefferson (traded to New Jersey)[n]   USA SF Arizona
2001 1 18 Jason Collins (from Orlando,[o]traded to New Jersey)[n]   USA C Stanford
2001 1 23 Brandon Armstrong (from Orlando,[o] traded to New Jersey)[n]   USA SG Pepperdine
2002 1 1 Yao Ming   CHN C Shanghai Sharks (China)
2002 1 15 Boštjan Nachbar (from Toronto)[p]   SVN SF Benetton Treviso (Italy)
2002 2 37 Tito Maddox (from Miami)[q]   USA PG Fresno State
2003 2 44 Malick Badiane   SEN C Deutsche Bank Skyliners (Germany)
2004 2 55 Luis Flores   DOM PG Manhattan
2005 1 24 Luther Head   USA SG Illinois
2006 1 8 Rudy Gay (traded to Memphis)[r]   USA SF Connecticut
2006 2 32 Steve Novak   USA PF Marquette
2007 1 26 Aaron Brooks   USA PG Oregon
2007 2 31 Carl Landry (from Seattle via Memphis)[s]   USA PF Purdue
2007 2 54 Brad Newley   AUS SG Townsville Crocodiles (Australia)
2008 1 25 Nicolas Batum (traded to Portland)[u]   FRA SF Le Mans (France)
2008 2 33 Joey Dorsey (from Portland via Memphis)[u]   USA PF Memphis
2008 2 54 Maarty Leunen   USA PF Oregon
2009 2 32 Jermaine Taylor (from Washington)[v]   USA SG UCF
2009 2 34 Sergio Llull (from Denver via Oklahoma City)[v]   ESP PG Real Madrid (Spain)
2009 2 44 Chase Budinger (from Detroit)[v]   USA SG/SF Arizona
2010 1 14 Patrick Patterson   USA PF Kentucky
2011 1 14 Marcus Morris   USA PF Kansas
2011 1 23 Nikola Mirotić[w]   ESP PF Real Madrid (Spain)
2011 2 38 Chandler Parsons   USA SF Florida
2012 1 12 Jeremy Lamb   USA SG Connecticut
2012 1 16 Royce White   USA PF Iowa State
2012 1 18 Terrence Jones   USA PF Kentucky
2012 2 44 Furkan Aldemir (from Los Angeles Clippers)[x]   TUR SF/PF Galatasaray (Turkey)
2013 2 34 Isaiah Canaan (from Phoenix Suns)[y]   USA PG Murray State
2014 1 25 Clint Capela    SUI PF Élan Chalon (France)
2014 2 42 Nick Johnson (from New York Knicks)[z]   USA PG/SG Arizona
2015 1 18 Sam Dekker (from New Orleans)[aa]   USA SF Wisconsin
2015 2 32 Montrezl Harrell (from New York)[z]   USA PF Louisville
2016 2 37 Chinanu Onuaku (from New York via Portland and Sacramento)[ab]   USA PF/C Louisville
2016 2 43 Zhou Qi   CHN C Xinjiang Flying Tigers (China)
2017 2 43 Isaiah Hartenstein (from Denver)[ac]   GER PF/C Žalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania)
2017 2 45 Dillon Brooks (from Portland,[ad] traded to Memphis)[ae]   CAN SF Oregon
2018 2 46 De’Anthony Melton (from Miami via Memphis)[af]   USA SG USC
2021 1 2 Jalen Green   USA SG G League Ignite
2021 1 23 Usman Garuba (from Portland)[ag]   ESP PF/C Real Madrid (Spain)
2021 1 24 Josh Christopher (from Milwaukee)[ah]   USA SG Arizona
2022 1 3 Jabari Smith Jr.   USA PF Auburn
2022 1 17 Tari Eason (from Nets)[ai]   USA PF LSU
2023 1 4 Amen Thompson   USA PG OTE
2023 1 20 Cam Whitmore   USA PF Villanova
2024 1 3 Reed Sheppard   USA SG Kentucky
  1. ^ Riley has been inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach.

Footnotes

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Citations

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  1. ^ "Houston Rockets Draft Register". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  2. ^ a b "Evolution of the Draft and Lottery". NBA.com. Archived from the original on 2009-12-03. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  3. ^ "NBA Salary Cap FAQ". Larry Coon. Archived from the original on 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  4. ^ "Elvin Hayes Bio". NBA.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  5. ^ "Hakeem Olajuwon Bio". NBA.com. Archived from the original on 2012-06-22. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  6. ^ "Yao Ming Bio Page". NBA.com. Archived from the original on 2007-04-19. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  7. ^ "Yao tells packed press conference in Shanghai he is retiring from NBA". Time Inc. Associated Press. July 20, 2011. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c "2003–04 Houston Rockets Media Guide" (PDF). NBA.com. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  9. ^ a b "2003–04 Houston Rockets Media Guide" (PDF). NBA.com. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  10. ^ a b c "2003–04 Houston Rockets Media Guide" (PDF). NBA.com. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  11. ^ a b c "2003–04 Houston Rockets Media Guide" (PDF). NBA.com. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  12. ^ a b "2003–04 Houston Rockets Media Guide" (PDF). NBA.com. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  13. ^ "Rockets Deal Three to Get Griffin". NBA.com. June 27, 2001. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  14. ^ "Rockets, Magic Swap First-Round Picks". NBA.com. June 2, 2001. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  15. ^ "2003–04 Houston Rockets Media Guide" (PDF). NBA.com. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  16. ^ "Rockets Draft Central 2002". NBA.com. 2002. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  17. ^ "Rockets acquire Battier in trade". NBA.com/rockets. Archived from the original on 2008-02-02. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  18. ^ "Rockets draft Oregon's Brooks; pick up Landry in trade". ESPN.com. 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  19. ^ "Welcome Sign: Rockets hoping addition of Scola will help fill void at power forward". NBA.com. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-08-20. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  20. ^ "NBA DRAFT: Rockets trade 1st pick Batum for Dorsey, Greene". Chron.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  21. ^ "Shooters targeted: Rockets use second-round picks to select scorers Taylor, Budinger". Chron.com. 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-02-12. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  22. ^ "Rockets acquire point guard Jonny Flynn". ESPN.com. 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-06-25. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
  23. ^ "Lamar Odom traded to Clippers". ESPN.com. 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-09-01. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
  24. ^ "Marcus Morris traded to Suns". ESPN. February 21, 2013. Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  25. ^ "Rockets Make Trades Official". NBA.com. July 11, 2012. Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  26. ^ "Rockets land Ariza & valuable first-round pick". NBA.com. July 15, 2014. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  27. ^ "Pelicans complete three-team trade with Rockets and Wizards". NBA.com. July 15, 2014. Archived from the original on November 29, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  28. ^ "Rockets Acquire Jason Terry and 2nd Round Picks". NBA.com. September 17, 2014. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  29. ^ "Rockets Acquire Ty Lawson and Second-Round Pick from Denver". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  30. ^ "Blazers sign Wright, trade for Lopez, Robinson". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. July 10, 2013. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  31. ^ a b "Grizzlies acquire draft rights to Ivan Rabb and Dillon Brooks". NBA.com. June 22, 2017. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  32. ^ "Hornets Acquire Lee from Memphis in 3-Team Trade". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 16, 2016. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  33. ^ "Robert Covington traded from Rockets to Blazers for Trevor Ariza, pick: Trade Grades". theathletic.com. The Athletic Media Co. November 16, 2020. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  34. ^ "Milwaukee Bucks Acquire P.J. Tucker And Rodions Kurucs From The Houston Rockets". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. March 19, 2021. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  35. ^ "Brooklyn Nets Acquire James Harden". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. January 14, 2021. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2022.

References

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