Putting Up Numbers· NBA

The Rockets' best centers

Hakeem Olajuwon has the most points of the 63 centers who played with the Rockets, 26,511 in 1,177 games. Moses Malone is 2nd with 11,117. Alperen Sengun is 4th, with 6,206; 3,042 more passes Yao Ming for 3rd.

Next: Rockets at Suns, Sat, Nov 7 · analysis

The Rockets' centers this season

  • Alperen Sengun7 games, 22.4 a game6,206 with the Rockets, the 4th-most in Rockets history.157points
  • Clint Capela6 games, 3.2 a game4,376 with the Rockets, the 6th-most in Rockets history.19points

By decade: 2020s · 2010s · 2000s · 1990s · 1980s · 1970s · 1968–69

Compare with in · side by side

The Rockets' best centers
PlacePlayerpointsreboundsblocks
1Hakeem Olajuwon1984 – 2001 · 1,177 games26,51113,3823,735
2Moses Malone1976 – 1982 · 464 games11,1176,944†669†
3Yao Ming2002 – 2011 · 486 games9,2474,494920
4Alperen Sengun2021 – 2027 · still playing6,2063,150330
+157 this season · passes Yao Ming for 3rd in 136 games at his pace
5Ralph Sampson1983 – 1988 · 305 games5,9953,187585
6Clint Capela2014 – 2027 · still playing4,3763,619558
+19 this season
7Kevin Kunnert1973 – 1978 · 341 games3,5522,716†300†
8Dwight Howard2013 – 2016 · 183 games2,9192,132294
9Kevin Willis1996 – 2002 · 208 games2,4621,53993
10Kelvin Cato1999 – 2004 · 317 games1,9751,955431
11Zaid Abdul-Aziz1972 – 1978 · 206 games1,9661,427†35†
12Caldwell Jones1982 – 1984 · 163 games1,5771,250206†
13Billy Paultz1979 – 1983 · 240 games1,334988†108†
14Omer Asik2012 – 2014 · 130 games1,1121,334124
15Otto Moore1972 – 1974 · 94 games1,032665†7†
16Dikembe Mutombo2004 – 2009 · 267 games8551,452293
17Joe Meriweather1975-76 · 81 games830502†80†
18Joe Barry Carroll1987-88 · 63 games75939681
19Hank Finkel1967 – 1969 · 88 games743382†—
20Jordan Hill2009 – 2012 · 127 games71457585
21Samuel Dalembert2011-12 · 65 games490456111
22Jock Landale2023 – 2025 · 98 games47430943
23Greg Smith2011 – 2014 · 89 games47336847
24Tim McCormick1988 – 1990 · 99 games45528825
25Steven Adams2024 – 2027 · still playing41660548
+4 this season

points by decade

2020s

  1. › Alperen Sengun2021 – 2027 · 365 games6,206
  2. › Clint Capela2019 – 2027 · 120 games844
  3. Jock Landale2023 – 2025 · 98 games474
  4. › Steven Adams2024 – 2027 · 91 games416
  5. DeMarcus Cousins2020-21 · 25 games241

2010s

  1. Clint Capela2014 – 2019 · 295 games3,532
  2. Dwight Howard2013 – 2016 · 183 games2,919
  3. Omer Asik2012 – 2014 · 130 games1,112
  4. Jordan Hill2009 – 2012 · 127 games714
  5. Samuel Dalembert2011-12 · 65 games490

2000s

  1. Yao Ming2002 – 2009 · 481 games9,196
  2. Kelvin Cato1999 – 2004 · 317 games1,975
  3. Hakeem Olajuwon1999 – 2001 · 102 games1,144
  4. Dikembe Mutombo2004 – 2009 · 267 games855
  5. Kevin Willis2001-02 · 52 games315

1990s

  1. Hakeem Olajuwon1989 – 1999 · 689 games16,484
  2. Kevin Willis1996 – 1998 · 156 games2,147
  3. Tree Rollins1991 – 1993 · 101 games149
  4. Dave Feitl1990-91 · 52 games137
  5. Eric Riley1993-94 · 47 games88

1980s

  1. Hakeem Olajuwon1984 – 1989 · 386 games8,883
  2. Moses Malone1979 – 1982 · 243 games6,861
  3. Ralph Sampson1983 – 1988 · 305 games5,995
  4. Caldwell Jones1982 – 1984 · 163 games1,577
  5. Billy Paultz1979 – 1983 · 240 games1,334

1970s

  1. Moses Malone1976 – 1979 · 221 games4,256
  2. Kevin Kunnert1973 – 1978 · 341 games3,552
  3. Zaid Abdul-Aziz1972 – 1978 · 206 games1,966
  4. Otto Moore1972 – 1974 · 94 games1,032
  5. Joe Meriweather1975-76 · 81 games830

1968–69

  1. Hank Finkel1967 – 1969 · 88 games743

Also with the Rockets: guards · forwards · Houston Rockets record book

Read next

Method

  • Every center who played with the Rockets, ranked by points over his games there. Regular-season games only.
  • A number with a † is short: some of his games with the Rockets don't have it recorded.
  • A decade counts his points with the Rockets in its seasons.