The Rockets and the Houston City Council honored longtime television play-by-play broadcaster Bill Worrell on Friday with “Bill Worrell Day,” which included both an official proclamation by Mayor Sylvester Turner and special activities throughout Friday’s home game at Toyota Center.
The Rockets honored Worrell throughout the game versus Dallas, including an extended halftime ceremony with special guests including former stars Elvin Hayes, Rudy Tomjanovich, and Clyde Drexler.
The first 3,000 fans in attendance Friday each received a Bill Worrell pin, while local artist Sarah Welch created a poster of Worrell that made available to fans for purchase. All proceeds benefit the Rockets’ Clutch City Foundation and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.
Fellow broadcaster and Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy joined Worrell for a pregame autograph signing session at Toyota Center, and AT&T SportsNet Southwest aired a special interview in its pregame show of Murphy taking a trip down memory lane with Worrell, his longtime TV partner. For fans in attendance, the Rockets played numerous video highlights from Worrell’s broadcasting career on the jumbotron, and AT&T SportsNet aired similar footage throughout the television broadcast.
Worrell, who began his storied television career in 1970 shortly after graduating from the University of Houston, retired as the Rockets television play-by-play broadcaster following Houston’s final 2020-21 home game on May 14. Worrell still serves as a special contributor for AT&T SportsNet, with this being his 40th season covering the Rockets.
See below for a roundup of Friday’s special activities.
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