As we close the book on 2025 in the Bayou City, there is much to celebrate. The Houston Texans have clinched a playoff spot and still have the possibility of winning the AFC South Division title for the third straight season, all after starting the season at 0-3. The Astros are still in the afterglow of being one of the best teams in the entire MLB for a decade, the Houston Cougars Men’s basketball team has become a perennial powerhouse, and the Houston Rockets, in just under two and a half seasons removed from being the laughingstock of the NBA, are true championship contenders.
NBA fans are passionate, often times emotional, and Rockets fans are no exception. We are happy to have a good basketball team with a chance to be great, but let’s face it… we want great and like JG Wentworth we want it now! As a content creator I have had the audacity to call myself the “President of Houston Sports”, and it’s not because I think I know more about Houston sports or because I think I’m better than any other Houston fans. It’s because I strive to be the voice of reason for Houston fans during the good times and especially during the bad times. In that spirit, I want to give you five New Year’s resolutions to help you enjoy being a Rockets fan more than ever in 2026.
1. Turn Off the Trade Machine
I know… we can blame ESPN and in part Daryl Morey for this bad habit. As soon as the Rockets acquire a player we all want to know, “Who can the Rockets get for that guy!” Case and point, from the moment Dorian Finney-Smith was acquired and it was known he would spend the beginning of the season healing from ankle surgery, fans have been trying to package him in a deal. For whom? Who cares! Somebody who is better than what we have now.
The issue is that we don’t know what the Rockets have right now. The team as currently constructed has played 30 games. Tari Eason has missed half of those games, Dorian Finney-Smith has missed all but three of them, and in those 30 games, the Rockets have had nine different starting lineups. All that being said, they are 20-10 and currently reside in fourth place in the Western Conference.
We have no idea what this team looks like healthy and with chemistry. Reed Sheppard has been a revelation this season, and an argument can be made that he should be playing more. Yet, many Rockets fans are determined that this team, must make a trade for a veteran point guard. I say let the young man and the rest of this team cook. Every loss feels heavy, I know, but we can’t put everyone including the head coach on the chopping block every time the team doesn’t play perfect basketball.
2. Vote for Rockets All-Star Candidates
NBA All-Star fan voting counts were released on Dec 29th. Austin Reeves and Deni Avdija have more votes than Alperen Sengun. Avdija has more votes than Kevin Durant! Listen, I know Rockets fans are busy, hardworking people, and Avdija is a really good player having a really good season statistically… but he plays for the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland has a population of 640,000 people, if I include the surrounding metro areas its 2.7 million. The Houston metro area has 7.8 million people. The entire country of Türkiye should be voting for Sengun and KD. Houston and Türkiye combined have approximately 80 million more people than, Avdija’s home country of Israel and the Portland metro area. Let’s get on this Rockets fans! Show Amen Thompson some love also!
3. Create a Home Court Advantage
This one is a charged topic for me. Nothing gets under my skin more than going to Toyota Center and having it feel more like a home game for the visiting team. Especially when it’s the Lakers, Warriors, Mavericks, or Spurs. Getting under my skin doesn’t quite do it… more like it makes my blood boil. I know Houston is a large city with many things to keep us entertained. I also know it’s hard to discriminate who you sell your tickets to when you can’t make the game. However, Toyota Center of all of Houston’s sports venues has the least amount of home court advantage. I know what this city is capable of because of what I have experienced for over 20 years at NRG Stadium and Minute Maid /Daikin Park. If this city can do the same for our Rockets, it would be a game changer. Show you care Houston! Go to the game, get there early, be loud and stay until the end!
“New year, new me” is one of the most common fibs told to ourselves come the dawning of a new calendar. Most of us are creatures of habit and even with the best intentions will often resort back to those habits. As long as you continue to be a good person, try to be better today than you were yesterday, and remember that Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon is the only player in NBA History to be ranked in the top 15 of four statistical categories, which should at minimum put him in the discussion of the greatest center of all-time, along with trying your best to adopt one of the three resolutions I’ve laid out here today, then your life as. Houston Rockets fan is going to be just as great as you want it to be.