With preseason in full swing, the 2025-26 NBA Season is just around the corner. For the Houston Rockets in particular, there’s a lot of excitement surrounding the incoming season, notably the debut of the legendary Kevin Durant in Rockets threads.
Before we see Durant and the Rockets take the floor for this season’s tip off, let’s take a look back at the history of Rockets uniforms. From everything that’s graced the hardwood in Houston, all the way back to the day the franchise blasted off for the first time in San Diego, here’s every Houston Rockets jersey ranked from worst to first:
I’m starting this list off with the 2014-15, 2016-17 “Chinese New Year” jersey. While the Mandarin characters are a nice nod to the Rockets’ Chinese fanbase, it’s a rather bland jersey otherwise. Worst of all, it’s a sleeved Adidas jersey. Sleeves do not belong on a basketball uniform.
While there’s a bit more going on here, the “Silver Rocket” jersey suffers from having two too many sleeves. I’ve also never understood teams that aren’t known for wearing gray, designing gray uniforms. You’re the Houston Rockets, not the San Antonio Spurs.
Source: Chandler Parsons #25 of the Houston Rockets is defended by Joakim Noah #13 of the Chicago Bulls on December 25, 2012 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Houston Rockets defeated the Chicago Bulls 120-97. (David Banks/Getty Images) / Getty
The first special Christmas jerseys appeared during the 2012-13 NBA season. Not exactly sure what the NBA was going for with the mostly-monochrome look for all teams, or why the Rockets were stuck with gray. No, these jerseys aren’t placed this low because Houston walloped my Chicago Bulls and ruined my Christmas Day in these threads – we didn’t have Derrick Rose anyway.
The highlight for these jerseys is the forever-iconic Christmas Day promo commercial featuring James Harden and company shooting to the tune of “Jingle Bells,” and that’s where it ended. They looked more like pajamas than a respectable basketball uniform.
I have a stigma against basketball jerseys that don’t feature the city or team nickname on the front, a theme you’ll notice on these rankings. I’m imagine Rockets fans would’ve much rather preferred the actual “Clutch City-era” throwbacks, than these sleeved monstrosities. While I do miss the NBA’s Adidas-era threads overall, the one blessing of Nike taking over meant that the trend went away with the brand.
I have my gripes with the most recent Rockets rebrand and Nike design trends, and these are among my least-favorite of all amongst all teams. For starters, “H-Town” (although I love the city’s nickname) should be replaced with “Houston.” The jersey being white is a bit boring, and the font for the number is horrendous, made all the more apparent when watching Russell Westbrook or any other player with a “0” on the floor. Overall, the “City Edition” jerseys are my least-favorite of the Nike alternates across all 30 franchises.
It’d been a much better way to honor the 30th anniversary of the 1994-95 Houston Rockets if the franchise went all-in on the festivity and wore throwbacks the entire season, doing away with the current era of Rockets uniforms. These were a cheap-looking attempt at honoring the last Rockets title.
Sometime in the mid 2010s, the NBA became enamored with the Kansas City Kings jerseys of the 1970s, which featured the players’ last name under the number on the back. Christmas 2014 started this trend in the NBA, and it’s stuck around for some franchises with their alternates from time-to-time. This jersey also commits the sin of having a logo-only front.
What rhymes with bland? This Rockets rebrand. For some reason, the Rockets have continued to start every season with these threads since 2019. These jerseys represent the unfortunate design trend of minimalism across not only the NBA, but sports and corporate branding in general. I’m waiting for the day younger Millennials and older Gen Z acquire positions in the industry to where this goes away. Just make everything look like the 1990s, please.
The Rockets’ first-ever city edition was a nod to the team’s Chinese fanbase, featuring Mandarin characters similar to No. 27 on this list, minus the sleeves and with some added arrows on the side to make it feel like a Rockets jersey.
A very similar look and feel to its predecessor, but the side stripes were simplified, to the jersey’s detriment. The overall flat look of Nike uniforms is another downer, but these are so much better than what the team wears now.
These threads are a classic, and the Rockets brought the home jerseys back for their “Classic” edition in 2022. The away jerseys changed the “San Diego” lettering to white as the base color, which I think looks slightly better.
By far one of the best Rockets “City” edition jerseys, bringing back the Mandarin character with some subtle, yet stand-out Chinese imagery all over the jersey. The colors are fantastic too. This might be one of the best “City” editions of any team.
It’s a shame these were around for only one season. While not too far off from the “Statement” jerseys of the present, the design is just so much better. The red trim really helps these pop, compared to its successor.
The first jerseys the team wore once the franchise landed in Houston, they resemble the San Diego predecessors closely, but with a much-better colorway.
Source: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets celebrates after a basket during their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Toyota Center on March 27, 2015 in Houston, Texas. (Scott Halleran/Getty Images) / Getty
If I can’t have a Rockets uniform Hakeem Olajuwon didn’t wear, then these would be it. They represent two distinctly classic (oh God, no way I’m about to call the Harden era “classic”) eras of Houston basketball, that many fans should look back at fondly. Both eras had great teams that were so close to getting back to the finals, unfortunately never getting over the hump. The threads are forever immortalized in James Harden highlight reels, Tracy McGrady’s “13 points in 35 seconds” clip and the 2007-08 Houston Rockets in NBA 2K.
One of the best “City” editions in NBA history, the jersey brings the vibes of the late ’90s and early aughts, while subtly mixing in a bit of the Moses Malone/Hakeem Olajuwon eras with the font of “Houston.” *Chef’s kiss*
I LOVED these alternates growing up as a kid. They pay homage to what was Houston’s colorway for over 20 years, but refreshed for the NBA of the 2010s. I wish these were the standard home/away uniforms of that era.
This may be controversial for some, placing these threads anywhere but No. 1. However, these were some of the best jerseys of the late ’90s. It’s remarkable the franchise “landed the rocket ship” on a redesign that’s such a complete departure from the previous threads. They even break my “logo on the uniform” rule! If the Houston Comets come back, they should adopt their former colorway. Hell, the Rockets should rebrand back to this right now.
Source: NBA Finals, Houston Rockets Clyde Drexler (22) and Hakeem Olajuwon (34) on court during Game 2 vs Orlando Magic, Orlando, FL 6/9/1995 (John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
I’m a sucker for anything designed before my time; architecture, American muscle cars, company logos and the 1975-95 Houston Rockets uniforms. These threads represent the greatest years in the franchise’s history, culminating in back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 (no need to thank the Chicago Bulls, but we’ll accept your gratitude). The design is rather simple when compared to the proceeding threads, but they’re so effective due to how well the franchised nailed the balance of the colorway.
Red, yellow and white is a great colorway in general (In-N-Out Burger, Lay’s, LEGO, McDonald’s, etc.), but opting for a solid red design with yellow accents and bold white font was a real winner. I really hope the Rockets go back to a similar look someday, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that desire.
What do you think of my list? Love it? Hate it? Let this Chicago Bulls fan know on our socials, or at @HuffsHoops on Twitter and @j.huff33 on Instagram.
