I met Steve Novak at the Galleria Mall a couple of summers ago. I got pics but it was on my old phone and I didn't upload the pics! Not a Rocket but I met Rudy Gay at Baltimore International Airport on my way back from Saudia Arabia. Same story as above, didn't get to upload the pics! I run into Hakeem from time to time at my local mosque in Stafford and Dulles. Dude is extremely humble. I also saw him alot during Eid Prayers at Reliant Arena.
I met Calvin Murphy at my old church in the Southwest side of Houston and Rashard Lewis while he was still playin in Seattle, he went up to my school to check it out and I got his autograph on my nurse's pass. Sadly, my mom threw it away.
I met Trevor Ariza and at Club Tao in Las Vegas for July 4th weekend. At the time he was rumoured to be coming to Houston or Cleveland. I unknowingly snuck into his private party, shook his and, and asked him was he gonna be a Rocket, he nervously said "Yeah". So I technically was one of the first fans to know, before it broke into the news. I also saw Lebron James, Jonny Flynn (T-Wolves) and a few other celebrities that night at the downstairs level at that same club. Unforgettable night!!!
Olajuwon at his mosque Horry at a few bars Chase, Jeffries and Andersen on Washington Tim Breaux at the theatres Kenny Smith at First Colony Mall Shane Battier at the bar across Minute Maid before an Astros game Mobley at a gas station Yao Ming and Terrence Morris at Best Buy Katy Dave Jamerson at a draft party in 92 after drafting Horry
I think it was back in 1987 when my dad and his business partners opened this "amusement park" called Fame City I got to meet a couple of the rockets who came to the grand opening, including Olajuwon. I have been living in Los Angeles since 1990, but it's because of that moment, I am forever a die-hard rocket fan.
Met Deke, Landry and Artest outside some club in downtown Houston. All separate occasions but they all seemed to be heading to, or coming out of, the same club. I'm guessing that's the place to be in Houston if you're an NBA player. I once saw Amare Stoudamire walk out of there, also.
Off the top of my head......I met a few back during the charity ball game we had here during the lockout, went down to the court and ran horry, chucky brown, among other nba players.... Dickerson signed a photo for me after one game, nice guy. Around 02 i got hooked up with a press pass, got a tour of the locker room and ran into collier, langhi...after the game i went back down to the locker room area and ran into moochie signing autographs, my pen ran out of ink right there lol, he was nice enough to wait a bit incase i found another and got it to work, but no luck.. Also attended tux and tennis that year and met a few there... unfortunately i havent ran into the bigger names, mostly the role guys.
One of the cool things is that a bunch of the players as well as some of the top management remember my name and ask how my family and I are doing. As a season ticket holder for the last few years, I have pretty much met every player that has been on the team. I think it's great of Morey to spend time with the fans. He will answer questions and doesn't try to run when people want to talk. He is very accessible for someone in such a high position. Championship years team: Robert Horry at Old Town's Spring back in 1995, Rudy T at a bunch of games whenever he is in town scouting, Kenny Smith in Champions area 95-96. Dream at his monument unveiling in front of TC. Robert Reid in the mid 90's at a charity basketball fundraiser Klein Man Can't Jump. He played on both teams, one half each team. He couldn't hit anything the first half and as soon as the 2nd half started, he was hitting threes like no other. The first half team was mad but it was funny.
Clyde After 1996 Playoff Game In 1996, after going down 3-0 to Seattle in the playoffs, my buddy and I waited to get an autograph near the players' parking garage at the Summit. The only other person there was an "autograph hound" that routinely waited to get Rockets memoribilia signed so ge could apparently sell them for profit. He gave us the run down on all players, what they drove etc. He mentioned Drexler would only sign basketball cards if you gave him $20. We found that hard to believe. After waiting for about one hour, he pointed out Drexler's car leaving from the garage. My buddy and I flagged Drexler down and he graciously stopped. He signed my cap. The hound asked Clyde to sign the card and Drexler asked for $20. It was kind of remarkable. On another note, my buddy and I enthusiastically told Clyde we still believed that the Rockets were clutch can could comeback from a 3-0 defecit. He looked at us and quietly stated with a stright face "You know, no team has ever come back from a 3-0 defecit" and drove off. We were a bit stunned, but at least the Rockets finally showed up in the 4th quarter in Game 4 against the Sonics with an amazing comeback before bowing out in OT. Les Alexander Ran into Les and chatted for a couple of minutes in the STH Courtside Club at a Warriors Game in Oakland. I was the only guy in Rockets gear (Cassell Jersey) and probably the only fan in the room that recognized him.
The only Rocket player I've ever seen outside the arena was Von Wafer, but he wasn't a Rocket at the time... it was during last season when he was still on a team in Europe. He was sitting 3 rows behind me in business on a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt (direct from IAH). I didn't want to disturb him after a rather long flight (didn't notice him until everyone was exiting the plane). I'm still trying to time a visit to the Breakfast Klub in midtown to give a shoutout to Kyle Lowry. Apparently he loves that place.
Most recent one I saw was a little over a month ago. Some friends and I were leaving Treasures and then I saw Carl Landry at the doorway. Got totally giddy like a school girl and probably embarrassed him and for sure embarrassed myself....but man, it was frickin Carl Landry one of my favs. haha.
Once, I went to the game with Clyde's son, and Clyde gave me a ride home, but not before I met some of the players after the game. We won against the nets, and I shook hand with a few players, like Ariza, Budinger, Hill, and a few others. That was pretty sweet.
Met the Dream a few times at the mosque when I was younger. Nice guy... tall as shiznit and huge, rough hands. I almost ran over Chuck Hazel at the Richmond/610 Bestbuy when he was still a sophomore (methinks). He was skipping from the parking lot to the front door and I got uber excited. Had a 10 second talk with him. He was injured, wasn't supposed to be back till the following wee (knee injury - the time he had a knee brace, in which Yao later borrowed for his elboy). I told him to come back, he said he'll be back the next game (day). He wasn't lying. Had a good game. I'm proud. Met Wesley a couple of times at the Galleria and Memorial mall. He's short. I felt like I was almost his height. He was with his son, so I didn't wanna be like "yo weesslleeyyy!! wesssleeyyyy! you suxs." I just left him be. I passed Sura jogging with 2 bimbos at Memorial Park with my then-gf. We yelled his name a few times and he didn't seem to notice our existence. uber sad. Most of these guys, save for Wesley, seem surprisingly taller than they are on TV.
