- Address: 1510 Polk Street, Houston
- Country: United States
- Capacity: 18,000
- Opened: 6 October 2003
- Main use: Basketball
- Tenants: Houston Rockets (basketball)
Extra stadium info – Toyota Center
The construction of the Toyota Center started in 2001 and its construction costs were $235 million. The arena opened with a concert of Fleetwood Mac. They were formed in London in 1967. The Toyota Center was the home of the Houston Aeros, a former ice hockey club, between 2003 and 2013. The Aeros played their first ice hockey game in 1994. In 2013, the club was dissolved. The Houston Comets, a former Women’s National Basketball Association club, also played home games at the Toyota Center. The former basketball club was founded in 1997. The Comets folded in 2008.
The Houston Rockets
The arena is known as the home of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. The Rockets their first division title in 1977 and their first conference title in 1981. The Houston Rockets won the NBA championship in 1994 for the first time in their history after defeating the New York Knicks. The next year, they won their second NBA championship after defeating the Orlando Magic from Florida. Rudy Tomjanovich, who was born in Michigan in 1948, was the coach of the Rockets when they won both NBA titles. He played numerous games for the Houston Rockets before he became the coach of the basketball club. Tomjanovich ended his professional coaching career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005.
An African basketball star
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon, widely considered as one of the best African basketball players of all time, signed with the Houston Rockets in 1984. He was born Lagos, which became the largest city by population in Nigeria, in 1963. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon became one of the first Nigerians who played in the NBA with 100,000 followers on its main social media page. He played for the Houston Rockets in the first two NBA championship series which where won by the Rockets. In 2002, Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon ended his professional basketball career with the Toronto Raptors from Canada.
The tallest player in the NBA
In 2002, the Chinese basketball star Yao Ming signed with the Houston Rockets, where he became the tallest player in the NBA. He was born in Shanghai, which became the largest city by population in China, in 1980. Yao Ming became one of the first Asian athletes with 1 million followers on his main social media page. He ended his professional basketball career with the Rockets in 2011.
