The mid-2000s era of the Houston Rockets had a lot to live up to. Hakeem Olajuwon had helped push the team to success in the 80s and 90s, leading the team to back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995 along with the likes of Kenny Smith, Robert Horry, and Clyde Drexler.
With those players all having retired or moved on the team entered a new era in an unconventional way — with a 7-foot-6 big man out of China, Yao Ming. While Yao never pushed the Rockets to a title, he helped the team grow in ways no other player could.