Houston, Texas (KTRK) – To mark the 55th anniversary of the Houston Rockets, Tilman J. Fertita, owner of the Houston Rockets, announced Wednesday that the union will be retiring at number 44 in honor of 12-time NBA champion Elvin Hayes.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Elvin Hayes’ incredible career by retiring from his shirt,” Fertita said. “Elvin was Houston’s original basketball star and had a lasting legacy not only with the NBA and the Rockets, but also with the University of Houston. We are excited to honor Elvin and his family in November and see his jersey hang where it belongs, along with other legends from his history. Our privilege floors.”
Nicknamed “The Big E,” Hayes has earned several awards in his career, starting with the University of Houston. While with the Cougars, Hayes was a two-time consensus All-American. As a senior, he was named Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year.
On January 20, 1968, in front of more than 52,000 fans inside the Houston Astrodome, the Cougars, led by Hayes, shattered UCLA’s 47-game winning streak, defeating the Bruins 71-69. Dubbed the “Game of the Century,” it recognized the potential of college basketball on broadcasts and laid the foundation for the successful NCAA tournament, March Madness.
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After helping UH reach their second consecutive appearance in the Final Four, Hayes was named the first overall pick for the 1968 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets. During the team’s inaugural season in Houston, Hayes was the leading scorer and rebellious from 1971 to 1972. He remains the last rookie to lead the NBA in scoring, averaging 28.4 points, the league’s highest, in his first season. Hayes averaged 27.4 PPG and 16.3 RPG to Rocket in his first four seasons.
In June 1972, Hayes traded with the Baltimore Bullets, now called the Washington Wizards. From there, he and teammate Wes Onseld formed what is said to be one of the most formidable front-court groups in league history, claiming three NBA Finals and the only team championship from 1977 to 1978.
Hayes spent his last three seasons in Houston after returning to the Rockets from Washington in June 1981. After finishing 44th, Hayes retired at the end of the 1983-84 NBA season.
In his 16-season career, Hayes averaged 21.0 ppg and 12.6 rpg hits. Join Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bob Pettit as the only players in NBA history with a career average of 21.0 ppg and 12.0 rpg. He was selected to the All-NBA Second Team three times, All-NBA Second Team three times, and All-Defensive Second Team twice.
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Hayes will be the seventh Rockets player to retire, along with Clyde Drexler, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Calvin Murphy, Rudy Tomjanovic and Yao Ming. Hayes also retired his T-shirt from the University of Houston.
“Representing the Rockets and the city of Houston has meant a lot to me my whole life,” Hayes said. Knowing that my number will stand with the other great players in franchise history is truly an honor. I would like to thank Tillman, the Fertita family, the Rockets and most importantly, the fans for the love they have shown me throughout my football career and beyond. I look forward to celebrating this special moment with you in November.”
Hayes has never played fewer than 80 games in a season and was the all-time NBA captain in games (1, 303) and minutes played (50,000) upon his retirement. In 1990, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history and on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
The jersey is scheduled to retire at the end of the first half of the Rockets-Pacers game on November 18.
As part of the celebration, the Rockets will be taking it back to where it all began, as they debut their new green San Diego Hardwood Classics jerseys, made famous in part by Hayes and Calvin Murphy.
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