Elvin Hayes ready for Rockets jersey retirement, reflects on love for Houston

After two jersey retirements, a third one for Elvin Hayes means everything and more.
His college No. 44 hangs in the Fertitta Center at the University of Houston, and the Washington Wizards retired his No. 11 in 1981, but when Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta told Hayes that the organization would be lifting his No. 44 into the Toyota Center rafters earlier this year, Hayes said that was the one that hit differently.
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On Friday, when Houston hosts the Indiana Pacers, Hayes will be honored during halftime in a way only six other Rockets previously have. “Big E,” Houston’s adopted son who attends every Rockets game these days, will receive his flowers with a jersey retirement from the organization he started and finished his 16-year career with.
Cemented in Rockets history.
The moment Elvin Hayes heard from @TilmanJFertitta that his jersey will hang in the rafters of the Toyota Center. pic.twitter.com/5B2kfXjLHQ
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) August 31, 2022
Entering the moment, Hayes spoke with The Athletic about a variety of topics, including how the 1968 “Game of the Century” — he and his undefeated Houston Cougars faced a UCLA team with a 47-game winning streak — helped propel him to becoming the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. He was the last rookie to lead the NBA in scoring (28.4 points), leading the Washington Bullets to the NBA Finals three times. He also was elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990.
Hayes was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996. Last year, the NBA listed Hayes on its 75th anniversary team. The Athletic ranked him No. 41 among the league’s all-time greats.
Now, Hayes will find his jersey at the top of the Toyota Center, as he will join Clyde Drexler, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Yao Ming, Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich as the only players with their numbers enshrined by the Rockets.
(Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)
You’ve had your college and your Washington jersey retired. Now, it’ll be your Rockets jersey getting retired. Do ceremonies like this ever get old for you?
Elvin Hayes: No, they really don’t. I think that it’s one of the great honors for a basketball player and for any athlete, because when you look at it, there have only been a few who have ever had their jerseys retired. So, it’s really one of those things that you can’t get tired of, because it’s one of the things that you really always played for. This has been one of the things that I really never thought would happen, but it’s happening, and that’s what makes this so great. Playing in Washington and having (the jersey) retired in Washington, I thought, ‘Wow, that is really great.’ And then coming to Houston, I was going to the games all the time. But, but this year, when Tilman had me to come over and he announced this … boy, that just floored me.
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What are the different emotions you’ve felt with each jersey retirement?
I think that for me, I’ve always had a special love for Houston, because I went to school here and everything happened for me. Coming out of college to the San Diego Rockets and the team moving to Houston, then being traded from Houston to Washington, that was really something that was always in the back of my mind. I really love Houston. I wished I was there, but that was a part of the business. I think that to have Houston now retire my number, that is really, truly amazing. No. 11 in Washington was retired, and now No. 44 that I had at the University of Houston and now have with the Rockets. It is just really, really super.
You played 16 NBA seasons, seven for the Rockets organization. You’re a legend around the city of Houston. What has it been like being a face of Houston for six decades, dating back to college?
Very few players who play in a city in college, they don’t have — I guess you would say — the inwardness to that city. Over the years, I’ve had that here in Houston. I can go any place, and everybody say, “You’re Elvin Hayes! You’re Elvin Hayes!” They know you, so that to me is really surprising that I have kept the name and I have kept the person this long in a city — and not being from the city, coming from Louisiana. I tell you, there’s nothing really like it because I can go into the Toyota Center, and they say, “Elvin Hayes!” and everybody just cheers and it’s really great.
Speaking of college, people still talk about the Game of the Century as if it were yesterday. What’s it like having that kind of legacy on a global basketball scale?
That’s one of the greatest things, events to happen to my career. Playing in that UCLA-Houston game and winning that game, I think it did more for my career than any one game I played. That really set my future and set me up as a player. That took me higher and higher in the NBA. Took me higher to the Hall of Fame. Took me higher to the NBA’s 50 greatest. Took me higher to the 75 greatest, and it just kept on growing. I was looking (one morning), and there I was: I was picked as one of the five starters of the ’70s — one of the best players of the ’70s with John Havlicek, Walt Frazier, Rick Barry and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I think that game really just stimulated everything that happened to me.
What has your relationship with Tilman Fertitta been like?
I’d describe it as a tremendous, tremendous relationship. When Tilman really introduced himself, he was telling me some things — that he always followed my career, wherever I was. He’d call and find out if we won, if we lost or what was happening. Tilman is one of those special people. He’s one of the special owners. I only had one other owner that I felt this way about, and that was Bob Breitbard, who was the owner of the Rockets in San Diego. But Tilman is one of the best owners I think I’ve had to be associated with.
This Day (CLE): 10/28/1970
*50-year Anniversary*
Expansion Cavs play first ever home game losing to SD Rockets. The 6,144 fans in attendance at the ol' Cleveland Arena are treated to 2 future HOFers-Elvin Hayes (11) & Calvin Murphy (23). #only6,144fans?#ClevelandArenagetsnolove pic.twitter.com/rkzESbuPXP
— On This Day: Cleveland Sports (@CityfanC) October 28, 2020
You’ve had some outstanding teammates in your NBA career, but playing alongside Calvin Murphy … what was that experience like?
I’ve known Murphy ever since college. How many players could be with a teammate 50-something years? Murphy is probably one of the hardest-working people for the community and for the team. He just really has been super for this organization and for this city. He just gives. I think Murphy has been great for the city, and I think the city has been great for Murphy.
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Living in Houston, you get to see the Rockets regularly. Are there any players in particular you’re keeping your eye on during the 2022-23 season?
I’m looking for Jalen Green to see how he really develops and gets stronger. I think Kevin Porter Jr. plays like players used to play, and it would be great to see how he turns out this year and what he does. So, I think those two players, I will really watch and enjoy seeing.
You played for the Bullets, but how much do you follow the Wizards? Any players you like with the Washington organization?
It’s really strange, but I really don’t know any of the Wizards players. I know (Bradley) Beal. I guess because I’m not in Washington, I don’t follow them. I follow the Rockets because I’m here, and I’m at every one of their games. Washington, I have a special love for them, but following them and knowing their players, I really don’t.
Being named to the NBA 75 is another honor you added to your resume last year. You’ll now have three jerseys retired. You’re also a Hall of Famer. Is there any accolade that tugs on your strings a little more than the other?
I guess — I know that it seems strange — I would have to say the retirement of this jersey, No. 44 at Toyota Center. I think that would have to be one of the greatest, because that was what I came into out of college, and that’s where I really played. I think that in the back of my mind, I’ve always held that special place for Houston and playing with the Rockets.
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NBA 75: Elvin Hayes and his trademark turnaround jumper helped make him one of the game’s greatest scorers
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(Photo: Tyler Kaufman / NBAE via Getty Images)
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