Houston Rockets Logo PNG
The “Houston Rockets” logo features a rocket. It is present everywhere: in the vertical lines, in the stem of the letter R, in the ring, and even in the ball, which looks like a globe with an orbit. At the same time, the emblem has a sporty style. It conveys high-speed reactions, quick movements, and determination, as no obstacle is too great for the team.
The Houston Rockets began in 1967 in San Diego, where the franchise entered the NBA as the San Diego Rockets. The name referred to local aerospace industry ties, including General Dynamics projects linked to the Atlas rocket. The early visual identity combined orange and blue, while the team wore green-and-yellow uniforms, creating a mismatch between the branding and the kit.
The team played at the San Diego Sports Arena, associated with Robert Breitbard, who supported sports development in the city. Despite this foundation, on-court performance remained weak, attendance stayed low, and media interest was limited. By 1970, these factors led to the franchise’s sale to Texas Sports Investments for $5.6 million.
After relocating to Houston in 1970, the club kept the Rockets name. The connection shifted from the military industry to space research, reflecting the city’s NASA facilities. The color scheme changed, with red replacing green as the primary tone.
In 1972, the Houston Rockets introduced a new logo featuring a cartoon basketball player with a jetpack. The concept lacked a clear link to the team’s identity and was quickly reconsidered. By 1973, the club had removed playful elements. It adopted a more restrained mark with a stamp-like form, alongside a simplified uniform design that better aligned with the team’s positioning in its new market.
Meaning and History
The logos of the basketball club “Houston Rockets” reflect its name, which was chosen in the late 1960s when San Diego owned the franchise. The nickname fits the city’s legacy perfectly. First, it reminded me of the ICBM ballistic missile developed by the local company General Dynamics. Secondly, San Diego has always been considered a “city in motion,” associated with speed. As a result, designers depicted a rocket on almost every emblem, except for the 1971-1972 and 1972-1995 versions.
What are the Houston Rockets?
The Houston Rockets are a club in the Southwest Division (NBA) that joined the league in 1967. At that time, they were known as the “San Diego Rockets.” The franchise was renamed in 1971 when new owner Texas Sports Investments moved it to Houston. The main part of the name, “Rockets,” didn’t change because the city is closely associated with the space industry.
1967 – 1971
The team “San Diego Rockets,” later known as the “Houston Rockets,” had a stylish logo featuring a blue rocket against a brown basketball. Two curved green rectangles surrounded the image, with “San Diego” and “ROCKETS” inscribed in yellow. The league’s name was written on the rocket in white letters: “N.B.A.”
1971 – 1972
In 1971, Robert Breitbard sold the team to new owners, who forced it to move to Houston. The nickname did not change, but the leaders decided to completely redo the logo. That same year, they introduced a version featuring a cartoon basketball player who rose into the air on a jetpack and spun a yellow ball with the inscription “NBA” on it, held in his finger. A fiery stream poured from the backpack. To the right was the club name, “Houston Rockets.”
1972 – 1995
Keeping the yellow-red color scheme, designers developed a simpler emblem known as “mustard and ketchup.” This time, the central element was a golden basketball with the inscription “ROCKETS” in black at the center. Two red arcs surrounded it with the white word “HOUSTON.”
1995 – 2003
In 1995, the team held a contest among fans: everyone could send their sketch of a new logo. The “Houston Rockets” logo was drawn from artist Thomas Nash’s idea, which depicted a ball-planet with a flying rocket around it. Designer Chris Hill refined the drawing, after which the club presented the final version of the emblem. Thomas Nash was forced to sue for non-payment of prize money.
The improved version contained a caricature element: a face at the top of the rocket. Its tip resembled a nose. Furrowed brows, round eyes, and a mouth with shark teeth completed the look. The team used this image to appeal to the NBA, which promotes a cartoonish style.
2003 – 2019
In the 2003-2004 season, the club introduced another logo, this time created by the branding agency Alfafa Studio and designer Eiko Ishioka. The authors proposed a concept depicting a large letter “R” shaped like a soaring rocket. The red ring around the letter represents the central circle on the basketball court. The letter “R” divides the words “HOUSTON” and “ROCKETS,” executed in an unusual font.
2019 – today
The latest changes in the “Houston Rockets” logo occurred in 2019. The logo maintains the “Houston Rockets.” cosmic identity. The basketball represents the spherical part of a gray-black planet with an orbital ring, with the white “Houston Rockets” logo surrounding it. In front of the planet, a red rocket shaped like the letter “R” is depicted, which remains the team’s primary logo. The unusual combination of graphite-gray, black, and bright red is expected to bring the team success.
Font and Colors
All “Houston Rockets” logos share a space theme. At different times, artists individually explored this concept until the final version was accepted, featuring the letter “R” instead of a soaring rocket and a planetary ball. The design looks unique: the authors created a minimalist abstraction that focuses on the basketball team’s name.
The original font was developed based on the stylized letter “R,” which became a symbol of the rocket. But the font with thin, sharp lines and rounded corners was used only from 2003 to 2019; after the redesign, an emblem with a simplified inscription appeared. However, it partially preserved the rounded corners.
The color palette has changed several times. Initially, red and gold predominated (from 1971 to 1995). Then, gold was replaced by white and blue (1995-2003). Then, the designers used only red (2003-2019). In 2019, they added a gray-black gradient, leaving the red “R.”
FAQ
What does the “Houston Rockets” logo mean?
The large red letter R represents the word Rockets, with which it begins, and it resembles a soaring rocket. Additionally, the R is depicted against a basketball-shaped planet. The surrounding strip with the inscription HOUSTON ROCKETS resembles an orbital ring.
When did the “Houston Rockets” team change the logo?
The Houston Rockets changed the logo in 2019 to reboot the existing style. However, it did not deviate from the old concept and retained its main distinctive element, the red letter “R,” stylized as a rocket.
In which city are the Houston Rockets located?
The Houston Rockets are located in Texas’ most populous city and are named after it. Its home stadium is the Toyota Center.
What font is used in the “Houston Rockets” logo?
For the inscription “HOUSTON ROCKETS,” which appears on a ring-shaped ribbon, the designers used a special set of glyphs. It’s a modified bold serif font.