The Houston Rockets unveiled their Nike NBA City Edition uniform for the 2023-24 season. These uniforms are a part of the overarching “Hometown Heroes” storyline which was developed to celebrate NBA teams’ unique connection to their respective cities. The Rockets will amplify Hometown Heroes through Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler, and how their explosive, high-flying on-court performances carved out a place in basketball culture for the City of Houston.
The Rockets will wear these uniforms for 13 specially designated “Hometown Heroes” games throughout the season at Toyota Center. For each Hometown Heroes night, the Rockets will extend the campaign by recognizing individuals who make a positive impact in the City of Houston and its surrounding communities.
Fans may purchase City Edition apparel now at RocketsShop.com. The Rockets Team Shop at Toyota Center opened on Friday, Nov. 3 for fans looking to purchase items in person. The first 200 fans to purchase a City Edition uniform from the Team Shop will receive an 8×10 print signed by either Hakeem Olajuwon or Clyde Drexler. Beginning at 11:30 a.m., the first 100 fans who make a purchase will receive a voucher for an autograph session with Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., which is scheduled to take place at 1:30 p.m.
The Rockets’ new City Edition jersey is adorned with “H-Town” across the chest in honor of the impact Olajuwon and Drexler had in building the City of Houston’s love of basketball during their iconic Phi Slama Jama collegiate careers. The “H-Town” nickname was quickly adopted by the players and appeared on their team warmups during the 1982-83 season.
“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.”
“It’s been 40 years since Hakeem and I played college basketball, and 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,” said Drexler.
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and University of Houston alumnus Jim Nantz, voiced a special video highlighting the Rockets City Edition uniform.
Fred VanVleet, #5 of the Houston Rockets (Photos courtesy of Houston Rockets/Rockets.com)
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. It prominently features “H-Town” in a sleek, script typeface with player’s name and numbers designed in a bold collegiate style.
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 to the uniform. The shorts also include silicon print signatures from Olajuwon and Drexler near the bottom corner tag.
The Rockets debuted their City Edition uniforms on Wednesday, Nov. 8 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. Olajuwon and Drexler were both be honored that night for their longstanding contribution and service to the Houston community and basketball culture, and local artist Franky Cardona unveiled a Hometown Heroes mural on the concourse featuring the Hall of Fame duo.
Here is a list of the Hometown Heroes games featuring the Nike NBA City Edition uniforms:
Wednesday, Nov. 8 vs. L.A. Lakers at 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 10 vs. New Orleans at 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 24 vs. Denver at 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 22 vs. Dallas at 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 29 vs. Philadelphia at 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 5 vs. Minnesota at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 6 vs. Milwaukee at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 20 vs. Utah at 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 2 vs. Toronto at 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 23 vs. Phoenix at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 16 vs. Cleveland at 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 23 vs. Utah at 7 p.m.
Friday, April 5 vs. Miami at 7 p.m.