Holiday Auction Closing December 7 ,2019
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/7/2019
After winning back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995, the Houston Rockets changed their uniforms starting with the 1995-1996 season. Gone were the road red with yellow trim uniforms that the team had worn since they relocated from San Diego to Houston back in 1971. They were replaced with a navy blue as their primary color, along with a new logo. Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon turned in another dominating performance at center as he averaged 26.9 points per game and became the all-time leader in shots blocked shots.
Olajuwon wore this offered road navy Rockets jersey and shorts during the 1995-96 season. This uniform set has been photo matched by Resolution Photomatching to 22 games, notably, where Hakeem picked up a Triple-Double during the December 13th, 1995 game, with 15 points, 14 rebounds and by blocking an astounding 10 shots! Olajuwon also scored 42 points and registered 18 rebounds during the March 10th, 1996 game. In those 22 games Resolution matched this jersey to, Olajuwon totaled 586 points, 217 rebounds, 67 assists, 31 steals, and 70 blocks! This size 50 Champion navy mesh jersey features “ROCKETS” sewn on in white, red and silver tackle twill across the chest. The tackle twill lettering is sewn on over the red basketball and blue rocket ship that was dye-cast and made up the complete Rockets’ logo. Olajuwon’s number “34” is sewn on the upper right chest in white, red and silver tackle twill. The jersey has white and blue patterned vertical stripes and the Champion and “DESIGNED & TAILORED 95/96 EXCLUSIVELY FOR HOUSTON ROCKETS BODY LENGTH +6” tags are sewn on the bottom front left tail.
The back of the jersey has “OLAJUWON” sewn on in white and red tackle twill above his number “34” that is sewn on in white, red and silver tackle twill. Like the front of the jersey, there are white and blue vertical stripes. The NBA logo patch is sewn on the upper left chest. The open sleeves and collar are bordered with a red/white/red striping pattern. The matching shorts have the same white and light blue pinstripe pattern with a thick red stripe down each side. The Champion shorts are a size 42 waist with Champion 42 and “Rockets DESISGNED & TAILORED 95/96 EXCLUSIVELY FOR HOUSTON ROCKETS RISE +2 INSEAM +3” tags that are sewn on the inside back waist. A Rockets logo patch is sewn on the lower left front leg. A wonderful full uniform set from one of the great centers in NBA history and these items LOA from Resolution Photomatching (426028), who have photo matched the jersey to the November 8th, November 16th, November 22nd, November 23rd, December 12th, December 13th, December 25th, 1995 games and the January 3rd, January 17th, January 22nd, January 24th, January 25th, February 1st, February 18th, February 21st, March 3rd, March 10th, April 25th, April 27th, May 4th and May 6th, 1996 games. Resolution Photomatching has also provided a LOA (426026) for the shorts that have been photo matched to the January 25th, 1996 game. Resolution also notes that “The shorts were likely worn by Olajuwon in a number of other games during the 1995-1996 season, but images from other games were not clear enough to show conclusive photomatches.”