Rockets announce broadcast team for 2021-2022 season

The Houston Rockets have announced Craig Ackerman, Ryan Hollins, Matt Thomas and Mario Elie will lead its broadcast team for the 2021-2022 season.

Rockets President of Business Operations Gretchen Sheirr said the new team would enhance the experience for fans tuning in on television or radio.

 “We hope Rockets fans are as excited as we are to watch the journey of our young players this season. We worked with AT&T SportsNet and SportsTalk 790 to put together broadcast teams that will add appreciation and knowledge to the viewing and listening experience,” Sheirr said.

Ackerman assumes full-time play-by-play duties, a role once held by the now-retired Bill Worrell, while Hollins will provide color commentary, along with former Rocket Elie providing analysis on AT&T SportsNet’s coverage, according to the organization’s press release, 

Thomas, the team's PA announcer at home games, will take on full-time radio play-by-play duties, the press release added.

Ackerman spent the past five seasons working mostly road games for AT&T SportsNet and home games for the Rockets Radio Network.  A member of the Rockets organization since 1994, Ackerman was named the team's radio play-by-play announcer heading into the 2008-09 season.

“I am truly ecstatic about the opportunity to move into the TV booth full-time and work with our new broadcast team,” Ackerman said. “I am also honored to have the chance to represent AT&T SportsNet, the Houston Rockets and the Fertitta family.”  

Hollins comes to the broadcast team from California, where he has worked as a game analyst for CBS and as a studio analyst for Los Angeles Clippers games.  Hollins also worked as an analyst for ESPN and appeared on various programming for the sports channel, including SportsCenter and First Take, and co-hosted “The Opinionated 7-Footers” podcast last year.

The Rockets had the NBA’s worst record last year, finishing 17-55 and as result, obtained the second pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, which they used to select Jalen Green, according to Pro Basketball Reference.