The Houston Rockets have had players donning a total of 52 different jersey numbers (including one non‑numerical series number for assistant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson) since the franchise began in the 1967‑68 season. Over the decades nearly 500 players have worn those numbers.
Rockets Wire is honoring the team’s past by chronicling each jersey number and the players who carried them, from the inaugural season to today.
Houston Rockets Clyde Drexler (R) and Los Angeles Lakers Eddie Jones fight for the ball at Ingelwood’s Great Western Forum 12 December. The Lakers won 119-102. AFP PHOTO Hector MATA (Photo by HECTOR MATA / AFP) (Photo by HECTOR MATA/AFP via Getty Images)
Today we examine the eighth player to wear the No. 22 jersey for the Rockets: Hall of Fame guard Clyde Drexler. After completing his college career at the University of Houston, Drexler was selected 14th overall in the 1983 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
The New Orleans native spent his first 12 seasons with Portland before joining the Houston Rockets in 1995, where he played the final four years of his career and helped the team capture a championship in his debut season.
While with Houston, Drexler donned only the No. 22 and averaged 19.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
