From ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5195847) SAN DIEGO -- Bob Breitbard, who owned the NBA's San Diego Rockets and was a high school classmate and close friend of Ted Williams, has died of natural causes. He was 91. Breitbard had been in ailing health. His death Monday morning was confirmed by the San Diego Hall of Champions, which Breitbard founded. Breitbard owned the San Diego Rockets from their expansion season of 1967-68 until he sold them in 1971 to Texas businessmen who moved the team to Houston. One of the prized mementoes he enjoyed showing off at the San Diego Hall of Champions was a bat used by Williams to hit .406 in 1941.
Did he coin the name of the team? The Rockets franchise tag is clearly the best name in all of sports. If he did, he must have been a great man. Rip.
When I read "former" I assumed previous. The douche who wouldn't pay Dream. His time will come if it hasn't already.
The name came from the fact San Diego was known for building military rockets. I think it may have come from a naming contest, but I'm not sure.
The current owner wouldn't pay Dream either, hence Dream becoming a Raptor (but it was the right decision IMO). Charlie Thomas' one good thing as the owner was that he brought stability as the Rockets had 5 owners after they moved to Houston before Charlie bought the team. Per Wiki:
