Houston Rockets: Ranking the top 10 players in team history

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1974- Close up of Rudy Tomjanovich, basketball player for the Houston Rockets in his uniform. Undated color slide. /

7. Rudy Tomjanovich

Rudy Tomjanovich is most remembered for his 12-year coaching career with the Rockets, which has undeniably made him the best coach in team history. But Tomjanovich also played for the Rockets for 11 seasons and made five All-Star teams. Tomjanovich was selected with the second overall pick of the 1970 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets.

Rudy T led the Rockets in scoring in three consecutive seasons, and four total seasons during his career. In the 1973-1974 season, Tomjanovich averaged 24.5 points per game, which ranked sixth-best in the league that season and led the Rockets in both scoring and rebounds per game. In the 1976-1977 season, Tomjanovich averaged 21.6 points per game, which was 15th in the league that year.

Rudy T helped lift the Rockets to the playoffs five times out of his 11 years in the NBA. For his career, Rudy T has averages of 17.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and eventually had his jersey retired within the Rockets’ organization.

In the franchise record books, Tomjanovich ranks fourth in total points, fourth in total rebounds, and third in field goals made, and Tomjanovich was recently inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.

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