The Houston Rockets were established in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets before relocating to Houston in 1971, eventually becoming a two-time NBA champion. Their early history saw standout center Moses Malone lead them to their first NBA Finals in 1981 and earn an MVP award. The franchise's most successful period was in the mid-1990s when Hakeem Olajuwon, drafted in 1984, spearheaded back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995, famously reinforced by Clyde Drexler for the second title. After periods with stars like Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, the acquisition of James Harden in 2012 launched the Rockets into perennial contention for nearly a decade, during which the team was also renowned for popularizing advanced statistical analytics. Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, and James Harden have all earned MVP awards while playing for the Rockets, underscoring their impact on the franchise's rich history.