2001–02 Houston Rockets season

The 2001–02 Houston Rockets season was the 35th season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 31st season in Houston, Texas.^[1] The Rockets received the 13th overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft, and selected small forward Richard Jefferson from the University of Arizona, selected center Jason Collins out of Stanford University with the 18th overall pick, and also selected shooting guard Brandon Armstrong out of Pepperdine University with the 23rd overall pick. However, the Rockets soon traded all three players to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for rookie power forward, and first-round draft pick Eddie Griffin out of Seton Hall University on draft day.^[2][3][4] During the off-season, the team acquired All-Star forward Glen Rice from the New York Knicks,^[5][6][7] and re-acquired former Rockets forward Kevin Willis from the Milwaukee Bucks.^[8]

With the addition of Rice and Griffin, and in their first season since 1983–84 without All-Star center Hakeem Olajuwon, the Rockets got off to a 7–5 start to the regular season. However, the team suffered a dreadful 15-game losing streak afterwards, as Rice only played just 20 games due to a knee injury,^[9] and Maurice Taylor was out for the entire season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.^[10][11] Due to injuries that hindered their roster for parts of the year, the Rockets played mediocre basketball all season long, losing 15 of their final 18 games, and finishing in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a disappointing 28–54 record.^[12]

Team captain Steve Francis averaged 21.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game, but only played 57 games due to recurring foot injuries and migraines,^[13][14] while Cuttino Mobley led the Rockets with 21.7 points and 1.5 steals per game, and with 149 three-point field goals, and Kenny Thomas provided the team with 14.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. In addition, Walt Williams contributed 9.4 points per game, while Griffin averaged 8.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Meanwhile, Rice contributed 8.6 points per game, Moochie Norris provided with 8.1 points and 4.9 assists per game, Kelvin Cato averaged 6.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and Willis averaged 6.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.^[15]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Francis was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was his first ever All-Star appearance.^[16][17][18] In addition, Francis also participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest for the second time.^[19][20] The Rockets finished 28th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 481,227 at the Compaq Center during the regular season, which was the second-lowest in the league.^[15][21]

Following the season, Williams signed as a free agent with the Dallas Mavericks,^[22] and Willis signed with the San Antonio Spurs.^[23][24]