Ask The Rockets - March 21, 2003

Have anything you'd like to know about a Rockets player, the Rockets organization or just basketball in general? Then send us a question. We'll randomly select a few of your questions and post our answers here at rockets.com each week. If you send us a question we can't answer, we'll go directly to the source (i.e. Rockets player, coach, front office member) to get all the facts. Here are this week's selected questions and answers:


When you the Rockets were playing the Sonics why was the whole team wearing a red headband?
Kim

A: All of the Rockets took the floor against Seattle wearing red headbands in tribute to their head coach, Rudy Tomjanovich, who did not travel with the team on the West Coast road trip after being diagnosed with a superficial cancerous tumor on his bladder lining.






Q: Have any Rockets jerseys been retired? If so, who and what numbers?
Lan Xun - Maputo, Mozambique

A: The following players' jerseys currently hang in the rafters of the Compaq Center after being retired by the Rockets organization:

  • No. 22 - Clyde Drexler
  • No. 23 - Calvin Murphy
  • No. 24 - Moses Malone
  • No. 34 - Hakeem Olajuwon
  • No. 45 - Rudy Tomjanovich

    Q: How many times has Rudy T. missed a game as Rockets coach during the regular season?
    Noble - Houston, TX

    A: Rudy Tomjanovich had never missed a game as Rockets head coach until being diagnosed with a superficial cancerous tumor on his bladder lining this past week. The tumor caused Rudy to remain in Houston to get medical treatment while his team embarked on a five-game road trip beginning March 18 in Seattle.

    Q: I would like to know how Steve Francis got the nickname "Wink."
    No name

    A: Francis received the nickname “Wink” during his childhood. The future NBA All-Star had explosive speed and quickness even as a youngster, earning the description "quick as a wink.”

    Q: Who is the youngest player on the Rockets?
    Derese

    A: At 20 years of age, second-year forward Eddie Griffin is not only the youngest player on the Rockets team, he is the youngest player in franchise history. Griffin played one season at Seton Hall University before being acquired by Houston in a draft day trade with New Jersey on June 27, 2001. The Nets received Rockets draft picks Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong in exchange for Griffin. Eddie will turn 21 on May 30, 2003.