The Five Greatest Houston Rockets Draft Picks Since 2000

Houston's NBA Draft brilliance spans across its entire history, including as of late.

May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) reacts after a call against the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets' NBA Draft brilliance doesn't stop at the turn of the century. Their greatest hits certainly include most of their stars from the late '60s onward, but since 2000, the Rockets haven't had any shortage of homegrown stars.

With the 2026 NBA Draft around the corner, it's time to take a look back at some of Houston's best draft picks over the last 26 years:

5. Jabari Smith Jr.

Because the Rockets have been a perennial postseason contender since the turn of the century, their picks for the greater part of that time have been in the backend of the draft. That only leaves their recent selections to be some of the best in more than two decades.

Smith, the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, has proven to be a high-end role player in Houston's transition from bottom-feeder to playoff organization. The former Auburn star averaged 15.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game this past season, posting 45-36-78 shooting splits.

4. Clint Capela

Capela is one of Houston's greatest players in recent history, excelling in a traditional center role from 2016 to 2020. His statistical prime was with the Atlanta Hawks, but with the Rockets, he was perfect alongside James Harden, and eventually Chris Paul, too.

The 25th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft averaged 10.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game across seven seasons with the franchise, although his return in 2025 has been less memorable. 2025-26 saw him put up just 3.8 points and 4.6 rebounds a night off the bench.

3. Amen Thompson

There's an argument for Thompson to be listed over Alperen Şengün based on his potential. The 6-foot-7 athletic freak was a fantastic consolation prize as Houston fell short of the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes in 2023.

This past season, Thompson took a major offensive leap with Fred VanVleet injured, averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. While a looming contract extension has his long-term Rockets future in question, his two-way impact has made Houston an elite defensive team.

2. Alperen Şengün

Say what you want about Şengün technically being Oklahoma City's pick, but the Rockets acquired the No. 16 selection on draft night and had the Thunder take the Turkish star for them. Because Houston had the final call, I consider Şengün Houston's own pick.

As polarizing as the big man has become over the last few months, the resume doesn't lie. At 23 years old, Şengün is already a two-time All-Star with 2025-26 averages of 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He has been the leader of Houston's youth movement (pre-Kevin Durant) as a prominent piece on a playoff team inching toward title contention.

1. Yao Ming

Most of Houston's stars since 2000 have been acquired via trade or free agency, but Ming was the team's big prize as the No. 1 overall pick in 2002. Across eight seasons, the 7-foot-6 giant averaged 19 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, making an All-Star appearance in every season he played.

Alongside Tracy McGrady, Ming starred on some electrifying playoff teams, but the Rockets couldn't get over the hump. Even so, his impact on the globalization of basketball is still being felt today, making him one of the most popular foreign players in the sport.