New Rockets uniforms pay tribute to San Diego roots: 'We bring back a classic to reflect where we came from'

The Houston Rockets unveiled a uniform on Wednesday that pays tribute to the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) franchise original home, San Diego, according to an NBA.com report.

Before the Houston Rockets came into existence, they were the San Diego Rockets from 1967 to 1971. And while the red has been the primary color of the Rockets for nearly 50 years, the team started out with green and gold uniforms. 

These same uniforms will return in the 2022-2023 season as the Rockets’ Hardwood Classics set. 

“[They] represent the beginning of a journey to greatness,” the team said in a tweet accompanied by a video narrated by Houston rapper Tobe Nwigwe.

According to the report, Rockets legends such as Calvin Murphy and Elvin Hayes wore the uniforms when their respective Hall of Fame careers began in California’s second largest city.

Nwigwe said in the introductory video the Rockets shared that space exploration ties Houston and San Diego together.

“As we move forward to the next generation of Rockets basketball, we bring back a classic to reflect where we came from,” he said.

At the same time as the uniform launch, the report said, the Rockets announced that Hayes, who was selected No. 1 out of the University of Houston in the 1968 NBA Draft, will have his No. 44 retired during halftime of the Nov. 18 game against the Indiana Pacers.

“That is really unreal,” the 6-foot-9 Hayes said to team owner Tilman Fertitta in a video that was posted to Twitter.

Crafting a career that spanned more than 15 years, the frontcourt star known as “Big E” averaged 27.4 points, 16.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game with the Rockets, according to the report.

The Washington Wizards née Bullets, whom Hayes won an NBA title with in 1978, had retired 44 in honor of him.

The Rockets’ latest threads join a set that includes last year’s City Edition jerseys, which the franchise elected to wear again this year.

The predominantly blue pinstriped uniforms pay tribute to both the Clutch City championship run and the years in which Yao Ming and Steve Francis rose to stardom.

Owners of the previous NBA campaign’s worst record at 20-62, the rebuilding Rockets will open the season against the Hawks in Atlanta on Oct. 19, with the first home game on Oct. 21 against the Memphis Grizzlies.