6-foot-9 Elvin Hayes twice took Houston University to the NCAA Final Four.

It gave them the opportunity to draft a power forward who ended up in the Naismith Hall of Fame and the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. It was no surprise that the Rockets finished last in the League in their inaugural season with only 15 wins. To build the roster, the Rockets chose veteran players during an expansion draft and their first ever draft pick : Pat Riley from Kentucky, who was drafted that same year as a wide receiver by the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL. The fans chose the name Rockets as San Diego used the theme 'a city in motion' to boost its image as a first class city, and the Rockets' name lent itself to that effort. San Diego was awarded an expansion franchise as Robert Breitbard paid 1.75 million dollars to join the League. Unfortunately, the most current news on Maxwell is that he was arrested and jailed for probation violations and failing to pay child support.When the NBA looked to expand in 1967, they chose a Californian city with a growing population and a strong economy. However, his after-NBA antics and issues are a major concern. Vernon Maxwell : As much as at times I’d like to leave “Mad Max” off this list, he had some great moments with the Rockets. Herrera is currently the head coach of the Gatos de Monagas of the Venezuela basketball league LNB. Carl Herrera : Some Rockets fans may not remember Herrera, but he really was a part of both title teams. Sam Cassell : Currently working as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards. Mario Elie : Currently working as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. Robert Horry : The former Rockets star with numerous championship rings (including the ones he won in LA and San Antonio) is currently working for ESPN. Smith (alongside former hoops star Charley Barkley) is a phenomenal commentator for all things NBA. Kenny Smith : For basketball fans that don’t know what Kenny Smith is doing these days, you really need to tune into TNT. But the former Rockets coach that led Houston to back-to-back titles still has a load of hoops knowledge and is a huge asset to the game. Due mainly to health issues, Tomjanovich had to step away from coaching permanently. Rudy Tomjanovich : Speaking of LA, Rudy T is currently a scout for the Lakers.

Not that Kobe needs to be making even more shots inside the arc, but he’s got a great teacher in Olajuwon. Hakeem Olajuwon : last I heard, he was helping Kobe Bryant get even better in the paint by teaching him techniques such as the Dream Shake. Without further adieu, here’s the roster from those wonderful '90s times and a brief glimpse as to where they are now (keep in mind I am only mentioning players that were a part of BOTH championships with Houston).

Rudy T had some great quotes during all those years as the court captain, the best (at least in my opinion) being, “never underestimate the heart of a champion.” Those mid-'90s teams represent that statement to perfection. From Sam Cassell to Kenny Smith to the greatest center of all-time in Olajuwon (not to mention many, many others with highlight moments for Houston), the 1993-'-'95 Rockets teams are the prime example of NBA underdogs that won that coveted title not just once, but twice.

95 houston rockets roster