The Greatest Houston Athletes of All Time | Marty Lancton

The Houston Rockets and the Houston Astros have only retired two jersey numbers. The first is number 24, which was given to Moses Malone and Jimmy Wynn, while the second is number 34, which was given to Hakeem Olajuwon and Nolan Ryan. With the addition of Earl Campbell to the club, there will be a total of three sports greats with the same number. Today, we're going to talk about the best players to wear different jersey numbers in Houston sports.

0: Russell Westbrook

While Aaron Brooks fan clubs around the world might want to talk about this, it has to be Russ. Since Brodie was traded from Oklahoma City to Houston in July, Russel has brought a lot of energy and a lot of swagger to the Rockets. The change in the system has allowed him to become the most efficient player in his career.

1: Warren Moon

It was a tough call, as Carlos Correa wears number 34 for the Astros while Tracy McGrady has the same number for the Rockets. Despite the team's success, they only made it to the first round once in McGrady's five seasons with the organization.

As a starting quarterback for the Oilers, Moon was able to lead the team to seven consecutive playoff appearances from 1987 to 1993. During his time with the organization, he was regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He had a total of 24,149 passing yards and 156 touchdowns, averaging 7.5 yards per attempt.

2: Alex Bregman

Third baseman Alex Bregman is the obvious choice for the number 34 jersey of the Astros. He's a dominant player on a very good team, and Patrick Beverley didn't have much of a chance against him.

3: Chris Paul

In June 2017, Paul joined the Houston Rockets, which marked the beginning of a new era for the organization. During his two seasons with the team, he was able to average 17.0 points and 8.1 assists per game. He'll most likely be remembered for his various moments, such as the Blazers' comeback, the hamstring injury, and his shimmy over Steph.

8: Matt Schaub

Despite his propensity for pick-sixes nearing the end of his career, Matt Schaub was still able to lead the Houston Texans to their first playoff berth in 2012, where he was able to throw for over 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns during his time with the team. He was a two-time Pro Bowler during his time with the organization.

9: Gordie Howe

Although many Houston fans may associate this number with Marwin Gonzalez or Hunter Pence, Gordie Howe is a hockey legend who came out of retirement to play for the Aeros of the World Hockey Association when his sons were drafted. Even though he was in his 40s, Howe was still able to play at an MVP level and lead the team to two championships.

11: Yao Ming

The Houston Rockets Yao Ming is regarded as one of the most influential players in the city of Houston. Not only was he a dominant player on the court, but he was also a vital part of the global community through his work with the NBA. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame, averaging 19 and 9 for his career, and he made five All-NBA appearances during his career.

13: James Harden

A statue of James Harden will be placed in the Toyota Center by the time he retires. Despite not being able to win an NBA title during his career, he has been able to win everything else, giving him nothing short of a remarkable career. 

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About Marty Lancton

Patrick "Marty" Lancton is a Houston, Texas native and a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience as a union President and Vice President, business owner, partner, board member, and state-certified firefighter. He's incredibly involved in and passionate about the lives of the first responders, especially firefighters, from all around the Houston, Texas area.

Marty Lancton's journey as a firefighter and paramedic with the first responders began in the year 2000, when he joined the City of Cedar Park Fire Department in Cedar Park, Texas. After three fulfilling years, he then moved to the City of West University Fire Department in West University, Texas. He stayed at the fire department until 2009 before moving to the City of Houston Fire Department, and has remained there to this day.

Marty Lancton has served in a number of positions of authority within the first responders community. For example, since 2015, Marty has served as the Chairman of the Executive Board for the Houston Professional Firefighters Association Charitable Foundation. Not only that, but also in 2016, Marty was elected President of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association, and in 2017, he even joined the State Association of Firefighters as the Vice President for the Executive Board of Directors. Marty Lancton also joined the Texas AFL-CIO as Vice President of the Executive Board of Directors. In 2019, Marty accepted a senior fellow position from the British American Project. Most recently, Marty made huge career advancements by joining the American Leadership Forum and the United States Executive Committee of the British American Project as a Senior Fellow in 2020. To learn more about Marty Lancton, visit his websites!