Multiple Rockets Stars Land in The Athletic's NBA Readers' Poll

Houston has had plenty of stars come through the organization, many of whom The Athletic's readers believe are some of the best in recent history.

Nov 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) walks off the court after the game against the Orlando Magic at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

A little over a week ago, The Athletic's NBA staff released their top 25 NBA players of the 21st century. The list featured many stars who came through the Houston Rockets' organization, whether they were in their primes or not, showcasing how much talent they have attracted over the last 25 years.

Now, The Athletic has left a new list up to the readers, who voted on their own top 25 players of the 21st century. Surprisingly, all six former/current Rockets featured on the NBA staff's list landed on the readers' poll, just in a different order.

On the staff's list, Kevin Durant was the top Rocket at No. 6, but he was swapped down to No. 7 on the readers' poll for Shaquille O'Neal. Two things that cannot be denied are the Slim Reaper's scoring prowess and longevity. At 37 years old, one of the greatest scorers in NBA history is still going, leading the 9-3 Rockets right now on a quest for another championship.

Following Durant is Chris Paul at No. 14, who, like the 6-foot-11 sniper, was one spot ahead on the staff's list. Steve Nash got a big boost, which slid Paul down. In Houston, he was a catalyst in getting the team to the 2018 Western Conference Finals, nearly defeating the Golden State Warriors if not for a hamstring injury.

Then, there's Paul's counterpart and the first Rocket to win an MVP outside of Hakeem Olajuwon. James Harden ranked at No. 15, which is interesting considering a few names ahead do not have such an award.

The Beard was once argued as the greatest player in franchise history if he could capture the team a title, but things fell apart after that 2018 playoff run. Harden's tenure would end on a sour note during the 2020-21 season. But his impact on the organization and city can't be overstated.

The final three Rockets on the poll had very different experiences with the team. Russell Westbrook, No. 18, was a fantastic all-around player during his lone season in Houston. The point guard averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, but in the NBA Bubble, his squad would fall short to the Los Angeles Lakers during the playoffs.

Although it was an impressive season, Westbrook's time will be dominated by the end of Houston's title window.

Dwight Howard, at No. 19, put up good stats with the Rockets, but fans will remember him for clashing with Harden and ultimately leaving in free agency for the Atlanta Hawks. He made an All-Star team in his Texas tenure, but as the years went on, his production dipped and the team faltered.

Finally, there's Carmelo Anthony, whose tenure everyone forgets because he only appeared in 10 games for the team. There isn't much to say about his time in Houston except that he didn't mesh well with Harden and Paul, resulting in a parting of ways.

Now, Durant hopes to be the first star since Olajuwon to lead the team to a championship. While Houston had a trend of bringing in leaders rather than drafting them, homegrown talents like Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. are supplementing a new era of title contention.