Top 15 Greatest Houston Rockets (11-15)
By Bryson Jones
May 12, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; TV commentator Calvin Murphy looks on before the Los Angeles Clippers played the Houston Rockets in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Rockets won 124 to 103. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
12. Calvin Murphy
One of the most monumental and fundamentally-sound ballplayers, the 2nd-round pick emerged out of tiny Niagara University averaging 17.9 points and 4.4 assists per game for his career. Elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1983, shortly after his retirement, he leads the Rockets franchise in total assists with 4,402 in his 12-year career.
Apr 21, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets announcer Calvin Murphy watches the Rockerts play the Dallas Mavericks in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Rockets won 111 to 99. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
During the 1980-81 season, Murphy broke the record of the highest free-throw percentage within a season — 95.8 percent — a record that had remained intact for 27 years until Jose Calderon surpassed him in 2008-09 at a whopping 98 percent.
In that same season, Murphy made 78 consecutive free throws during a two-month stretch from December 1980 to February 1981, good for third on the all-time list, trailing Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Micheal Williams.
For his size (5’9, 165 pounds), Murphy had the incredible ability to able to score the basketball like he did in an era where there was plenty of physicality, a stark contrast to today’s NBA.
The current Houston Rockets pre-game, halftime and post game analyst, renowned for his colorful attire, sits in at 12 on this list.
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