The Houston Rockets unveiled their Nike City Edition uniform for the 2023-24 season. The uniform is a part of the NBA's "Hometown Heroes" storyline, developed to celebrate teams' connection to their respective cities.
The Rockets will pay homage to the University of Houston's Phi Slama Jama era with their City Edition jerseys.
It will highlight Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, whose explosiveness and high-flying on-court performances in college carved out a place in basketball culture for Houston during the early 1980s.
"It’s been 40 years since Hakeem and I played college basketball," Drexler said. "It’s an honor to know that this year’s Rockets team will wear a uniform that’s inspired by the impact that we made on the game."
The jersey design is a fusion of classic and modern elements, combining the sleek, contemporary style of today's NBA uniforms with the retro flair from the Phi Slama Jama era.
A standout feature of the uniform is the inclusion of a dunking astronaut on the side of the shorts. This emblem is a homage to the high-flying style of Phi Slama Jama and to City of Houston’s status as “Space City” adding a unique and powerful touch. The shorts also include silicon print signatures from Olajuwon and Drexler near the bottom corner tag.
The Rockets will debut their City Edition uniforms on Wednesday, Nov. 8 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers.
Olajuwon and Drexler will be honored for their longstanding contribution and service to the Houston community and basketball culture, and local artist Franky Cardona will unveil a Hometown Heroes mural on the concourse featuring the Hall of Fame duo.
“I am deeply honored to have my career here in Houston celebrated by the Rockets in this special way,” said Olajuwon. “The new City jersey is a great representation of my college playing days.”
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