The Houston Rockets have had several legendary players don their uniform, including Hakeem Olajuwon, James Harden, Moses Malone and Yao Ming. With the official release of NBA 2K25 right around the corner, fans will be eager to use the Rockets’ all-time greats in the game.
Let’s break down the top 10 players on the Rockets’ all-time team and see who fans should be most excited to see in this year’s edition of the iconic basketball video game series.
Hakeem Olajuwon (98)
The Dream Shake was one of the best big men of all time, he had excellent size 7-foot-0 and impressive strength. However, that’s not what made Olajuwon legendary.
Rather, Olajuwon became a legend and an all-time great because of his impeccable footwork. His precision and attention to detail in this area of the game would make Olajuwon a role model for nearly every big man who came after him.
Hakeem was a special athlete who could dunk on anybody, but his excellent footwork made him much more than a brute-strength dunker.
Moses Malone (97)
A 6-foot-10 center who tipped the scales at 260 pounds, this three-time MVP and 12-time All-Star is one of the greatest players of all time. His dominant rebounding ability earned him the nickname “Chairman of the Boards” and that title was well-deserved.
Although Malone is more known for his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, whom he led to a championship in 1983, Malone also had a successful tenure in Space City.
Malone led the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1981, where the team came up just short, losing to the Boston Celtics in six games. If you want to play the role of a dominant rim protector who will clean the glass with ease while also imposing his will at the offensive end and bullying defenders for easy buckets, you should be excited to suit up as this Rockets' legend.
Malone will gobble up rebounds at both ends and fight his way into position for soft layups and thunderous dunks.
James Harden (95)
Harden is undoubtedly going to be the player on this list that most fans will have the most knowledge of and he’s likely to be one of the most popular players in the game. Throughout his tenure in Houston, Harden changed the way that the game is played. It was during this time that Harden popularized the layups-and-threes approach taken to the extreme in combination with the devastating potency of his patented step-back three-pointer.
Truth be told, Harden wasn’t ever the best pure shooter. However, he more than made up for that with his ability to get a shot off at will. He was devastatingly effective because of his ability to create a quality look anytime he wanted. His step-back move created space and gave him this ability.
Harden had many variations of this trademark move, but in every case, he created ample room to get a good look at the basket and release his shot without interference.
Harden was also elite at getting to the rim during his Houston days. He was never the fastest, most athletic nor flashy player. However, he more than made up for that with his fundamental skills and his impressive lower body strength.
Clyde Drexler (93)
Clyde Drexler is a three-level scorer who can get buckets from anywhere on the court. He’s also a slightly underrated defensive player who can shut down the opposing team's best perimeter-scoring threat night in and night out. Drexler had quick hands to disrupt opponents, whether that be swiping up through the ball or reaching into the passing lane for a deflection, or stealing or blocking a jump shot.
Tracy McGrady (92)
Tracy McGrady, also known as T-Mac, earned his spot as one of the most popular and influential players of the early to mid-2000s due to his dynamic, flashy style of individual offense.
McGrady came of age when the sport was moving towards its peak of national and international popularity and fans and coaches were still focused predominantly on the art of isolation scoring. McGrady excelled in this era and is one of the icons of the sport.
T-Mac was a master at creating space to get a shot off anytime he wanted. Those players who want to pull off breathtaking moves and hit dazzling fadeaway or step-backs while leaving the defender looking desperately for their ankles will love playing as McGrady in 2k25.
Calvin Murphy (91)
Murphy was an athletic playmaker from the guard position who made his money, utilizing his acceleration to catch defenders sleeping, blow by them, and get to the rim with ease. In a lot of ways, he was like an earlier version of Dwyane Wade and popularized the play style that Wade would make famous.
Yao Ming (91)
Yao Ming was one of the tallest players to ever grace an NBA court. He measured in at 7-foot-6 and had a wingspan of 7-foot-5. Ming was an incredible physical specimen who dominated the game at both ends.
Ming continued the Rockets' tradition of having a dominant big man, but he brought his own unique style to the floor. He was never the strongest nor most physical player on the court, but he made up for that by being one of the tallest players to ever step onto an NBA court.
Additionally, Ming was incredibly skilled and smooth for his size. A player with his height, footwork and shooting touch was virtually unheard of, and Ming had a deep bag of tricks with which to beat his defender.
Chris Paul (90)
Chris Paul is sometimes nicknamed the “Point God,” and he earned this nickname for good reason. Paul might be the best pure point guards to ever play the game. He had elite floor vision and could make any pass. He always made his teammates better, and knew how to get the most out of everybody around him. Paul seemed to have a sixth sense for when somebody was struggling and what they needed.
Some players just needed to take a few trips down the offensive end where they weren’t heavily involved in the play so that they have time to reset themselves. Other guys needed to get the ball in a good scoring position where they had an easy look just to see something go through the basket. Paul always seems to know exactly who each player on his team is and he knows how to put them in the best positions to score.
We would be remiss to talk about Paul, and not mention the scoring, though. While he became legendary because of his passing ability, Paul was also a talented isolation scorer himself. He was an early pioneer floater runner, which was essentially a floating layup shot at a high arc while dribbling for speed towards the rim. This shot had been done before, but Paul expected it and popularized it. Now, the floater is a staple in nearly every elite point guard in person.
Ralph Sampson (89)
Sampson wasn’t the most skilled player, but he was an absolute beast at 7-foot-4 who would wreak havoc in the paint. Sampson was a dominant rim protector who could swallow shots with ease, and nobody had an easy look at the basket while he was patrolling the paint. Offensively, Sampson would use his size to bully opposing players, get to his spots and finish with authority.
Elvin Hayes (89)
Perhaps more than anything, the Rockets are known for their dominant big men. This continues with Hayes, who was a little bit shorter than some of the others, but just as physical. He measured in at just under 6-foot-10, and tipped the scales at 235 pounds. Hayes used his physicality to win battles in the paint. He was an excellent post scorer, rebounder and all-around defender.
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