Following the win, a video circulated showing Hakeem Olajuwon—a legend in both Cougars and Rockets basketball—being refused access to the stage where the team was celebrating. Fortunately, he was eventually granted access.

Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. somehow overcame Houston’s spirit-crushing defense Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller not decided until Clayton’s own D stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.

Houston earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year and will open against first-time qualifier SIU-Edwardsville in Wichita, Kansas, on Thursday.

Victor Wembanyama scored 30 points in his first NBA game on his native French soil, Devin Vassell added 25 and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Indiana Pacers 140-110.

Here are some of the things on Victor Wembanyama’s Paris itinerary to this point: arranging a shopping trip and then a dinner for San Antonio Spurs teammates on Monday, dedicating a pair of outdoor courts in his hometown and then some Fashion Week appearances on Tuesday and heading to the Paris Saint-Germain vs.

In 1994, the Houston Rockets hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy for the first time in franchise history after taking down the New York Knicks in a dramatic seven-game series. 30 years later, KPRC 2 is celebrating the Rockets’ unforgettable run.

Preview: BGC Game - Hightower vs. Clements

the new uniform is a perfect blend of the past and present, designed to honor two of Houston’s legends, Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.

NBA teams currently have about $4.8 billion in salary committed to players for this season, meaning the average per team is around $160 million.

Get out your party hats and let’s celebrate Houston Rockets legend and NBA icon Hakeem Olajuwon as we celebrate his 60th birthday this weekend!

The NBA announced Tuesday that the Defensive Player of the Year award has been renamed “The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy“ in honor of the Hall of Famer and former Rockets star.

J’Wan Roberts scored 15 points, Marcus Sasser added 13 and top-ranked Houston held on to beat Saint Mary’s 53-48.

The Houston Rockets went 20-62 to finish with the NBA's worst record for the second straight season.

Mike Krzyzewski would pass famed UCLA coach John Wooden for most Final Four appearances if No. 2 seed Duke can beat fourth-seeded Arkansas in the West Region final in San Francisco.

KATY—History looks pretty sweet in blue and white.

Taze Moore had 14 points and seven rebounds, Fabian White Jr. added 12 points, and No. 14 Houston snapped a two-game losing streak with a 70-52 win over Central Florida.

Bill Fitch, who guided the Boston Celtics to one of their championships during a Hall of Fame coaching career, has died.

When the 1980's began, the NBA “was in trouble.”.

Georgetown basketball coach Patrick Ewing will miss the Hoyas’ game against visiting Butler because of what his team said Wednesday were D.

The University of Houston revealed on Saturday its all-time starting lineup for its men's basketball program, as voted on by their fans.

Josh Carlton had 22 points and 12 rebounds as No. 12 Houston beat Wichita State 76-66.

For the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, 75 players weren’t enough.

Hakeem Olajuwon was one of a host of former Houston Rockets in the first third of players unveiled by the NBA as the 75 greatest players in league history.

Adam Silver, the basketball fan, would prefer to see Kyrie Irving on the court again with the Brooklyn Nets as soon as possible.

It's the night of the NBA Draft, and for Houston Rockets fans, this could be a potential night to celebrate.

Nikola Jokic was revealed Tuesday as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for 2020-21, making him by far the lowest draft pick ever to win the award.

Carmelo Anthony looked like he was done just a couple of seasons ago.

Michael Jordan will present Kobe Bryant for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next month.

Yes, Houston is going back to the Final Four for the first time since the famed “Phi Slama Jama” era after Monday night's 67-61 win against Oregon State. And Houston knocked down enough free throws late while holding Oregon State without a basket during a critical 3 1/2 minutes. Fittingly, it was DeJon Jarreau — the American Athletic Conference's defensive player of the year who led the effort that stymied Oregon State star Ethan Thompson — who was named the most outstanding player of the Midwest Region. “It was right there within our grasp with the effort we showed in the second half,” Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle said. They held the Beavers to 35% shooting in the first half before Oregon State found some openings.

Now it's taken coach Kelvin Sampson's team somewhere new: the program's deepest NCAA Tournament run since the days of Olajuwon, Drexler and the famed “Phi Slama Jama." Quentin Grimes scored 14 points and Houston's defense locked down on surging Buddy Boeheim, helping the Cougars beat Syracuse 62-46 on Saturday night in the Sweet 16 while holding the Orange to their lowest point total in an NCAA Tournament game. That sent the second-seeded Cougars through to their first regional final in 37 years, earning a matchup with No. “It’s the best defense that that we’ve seen this year and they deserved to win,” coach Jim Boeheim said. Syracuse had shot at least 52% each time while making 29 3-pointers — but there would be no repeat of that unexpected 2016 Final Four run thanks to Houston's defense.

(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)GREENVILLE, N.C. – Jayden Gardner had 21 points and 15 rebounds to help East Carolina stun fifth-ranked Houston 82-73 on Wednesday night, securing the Pirates' first win against a ranked opponent in nearly two decades. Tremont Robinson-White added 17 points for East Carolina, which defied season-long offensive struggles against one of the nation's top defensive teams. East Carolina shot 47% and made 11 of 24 3-pointers — and more impressively, the Pirates led for the last 12-plus minutes against a Houston team that struggled to make much of anything after halftime. East Carolina (8-6, 2-6 American Athletic Conference) hadn't won a game in more than a month between five straight losses and three postponements. AdECU: East Carolina hadn't won since beating Tulane at home on Dec. 22.

Rockets owner Charlie Thomas looks up at right. HOUSTON – Charlie Thomas, the former owner of the Houston Rockets, died Friday. Thomas bought Houston’s NBA team in 1982 for about $10 million and sold it in 1993 for about $85 million. Current Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said in a statement posted on Twitter that the team is deeply saddened by Thomas’ passing. “Charlie was a great friend, business partner, and true Texan who loved his Rockets,” Fertitta said in the statement.

FILE - Gonzaga players celebrate after defeating Saint Mary's in an NCAA college basketball game in the final of the West Coast Conference men's tournament in Las Vegas, in this Tuesday, March 10, 2020, file photo. Gonzaga will begin the college basketball season No. 1 for the first time after coach Mark Few's bunch earned 28 first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll released Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Iowa was picked fifth behind national player of the year front-runner Luka Garza, its highest preseason ranking in school history. The Bears, who also have their highest preseason ranking, spent five weeks at No. THE REST OF THE POLLCreighton lost Ty-Shon Alexander to the NBA and Davion Mintz to Kentucky but still landed the highest preseason ranking in school history at No. 17, its highest preseason ranking since the final Phi Slama Jama team of Hakeem Olajuwon began the 1983-84 season at No. 6 in the final poll last season but losing Mountain West player of the year Malachi Flynn and two other elite producers.

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo shouts from the bench in the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Miami Heat Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

He got the Defensive Player of the Year award earlier in these NBA playoffs. Jordan won both the MVP and Defensive Player in 1987-88 and Olajuwon won both in 1993-94. Antetokounmpo came close to joining the club last season by winning MVP and finishing second in the Defensive Player balloting. James won MVP and was second in Defensive Player voting in 2008-09 and 2012-13, and Shaquille O’Neal did so in 1999-2000. “I'm happy for this, I'm happy for this award," Antetokounmpo said.

Harden made 1 of 2 free throws before Trey Burke made a 3-pointer to get the Mavericks within 3 with about 15 seconds left in OT. Harden made 1 of 2 free throws after that, Burke missed a 3, and Harden got the rebound to secure the victory. Houston scored the next eight points, with the last five from Harden, to take a 147-143 lead. Harden cut the lead again seconds later with a 3-pointer with 40 seconds to go. Covington got the Rockets within two points with two free throws.

CLEAR LAKE, Texas – Demolition crews on Thursday began tearing down the historic West Mansion in Clear Lake, and the mayor of Pasadena said Friday the city was “bound by law” to approve permits for that demolition. The West Mansion in Clear Lake, Texas, is seen in 2013. “Because of this and the other requirements met, the City of Pasadena was bound by law to grant the demolition permit to current owner, Olajuwon Farms, LLC and the demotion company, Cherry Demolition. Wagner’s entire statement“I am aware of and saddened to see the demolition of the West Mansion on E. Nasa Parkway. Because of this and the other requirements met, the City of Pasadena was bound by law to grant the demolition permit to current owner, Olajuwon Farms, LLC and the demotion company, Cherry Demolition.