Rockets plan jersey switch back to fan favorites

The Houston Rockets’ jersey colorways don’t exactly ooze with excitement. Far from it, actually.

They’ve always had a simple touch. More of a traditional look, almost like the Boston Celtics or San Antonio Spurs.

Well, not that bland. Alas, the Rockets have at least changed their uniforms a few times.

The ketchup and mustard colorway holds a spot in Rockets’ fans hearts, as both of the Rockets’ championships were won while the team wore them.

Those were also the jerseys worn for nearly the entirety of Hakeem Olajuwon’s career in Houston.

Again, those uniforms were worn for seemingly ages. Well, decades.

And guess what?

They’re coming back.

Not in a City Edition uniform either.

The Rockets are changing their primary jerseys next season, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks and are expected to revive the ketchup and mustard colorway.

The Rockets have been in need of a rebrand for some time now and now is a good time for that. And the ketchup and mustard uniforms have become a cultural staple in the city of Houston.

Many Rockets fans have those jerseys still. In fact, I have a home and away Hakeem Olajuwon jersey in that exact colorway.

It’s also smart for the Rockets to pivot back to something they know will be accepted and met with excitement, rather than making a change just for the sake of making a change, like when they switched to the pajama style uniforms (which most people view as their least favorite Rockets jersey).

Those only lasted eight years, unsurprisingly. The Rockets have been donning their current jersey since 2019, although they’ve worn the colorway since 2003.

The main change has been the jersey font.

Rockets fans have been clamoring for the franchise to bring back the old uniforms of the past and alas, the franchise has decided to grant fans their wish.

From a timing standpoint, it couldn’t have been a better time. This Rockets team is easily the best one that we’ve seen since the first year of the Chris Paul-James Harden pairing.

It wouldn’t have been a good look to have those ketchup and mustard uniforms on a non-contending team.