Tag: Houston Sports Awards

Rudy Tomjanovich inducted into Houston Sports Hall of Fame

“Rudy T” played for the Rockets for 11 years, and he then led the franchise to its only two NBA titles to date as its head coach.

Former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich will be inducted Tuesday into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.

Tomjanovich is among three members in the Hall of Fame’s third annual class, joining gymnast Mary Lou Retton and track star Carl Lewis. The class will be recognized at Tuesday’s Houston Sports Awards, which will be broadcast live on AT&T SportsNet Southwest at 7 p.m. Central.

The program to honor the city’s historic sports greats was created in 2018 by the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA).

Now 71 years old, Tomjanovich played for the Rockets from 1970 through 1981, and was head coach from 1992 through 2003. That run included Houston’s only two NBA titles in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons.

In his 11-plus seasons as head coach, Tomjanovich led the Rockets to a 503-397 (.559) regular-season record and a 51-39 (.567) mark in the NBA playoffs, headlined by the two championships.

But “Rudy T,” as he’s best known in Rockets’ circles, was also a dynamic player ⁠— with averages of 17.4 points and 8.1 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game over 11 seasons. He was a five-time All-Star at power forward.

Tomjanovich received a standing ovation from fans during Monday’s Rockets game at Toyota Center when news of his Houston Sports Hall of Fame recognition was announced to the crowd.

Tomjanovich and the Rockets are also hoping for his induction into the broader Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, with finalists for the 2020 class announced at the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in mid-February.

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James Harden leads Rockets finalists at Houston Sports Awards

Rockets superstar James Harden and legendary coach Rudy Tomjanovich will be recognized at the third annual Houston Sports Awards in January.

Thanks in large part to franchise icon James Harden, the Rockets will be well represented at the Houston Sports Awards on Jan. 21, 2020.

The Harris County – Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA) announced the finalists Thursday for its third annual program, which celebrates accomplishments in the 2019 calendar year.

As far as the Rockets are concerned, those include:

James Harden – Athlete of the Year
James Harden’s 61-point game in 114-110 win at New York Knicks – Moment of the Year

That January 2019 game at Madison Square Garden still stands as the career-high point total for the former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the league’s current leading scorer.

Harden’s competition for Athlete of the Year consists of gymnast Simone Biles; Houston Astros baseball players Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander; and Houston Texans football quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Meanwhile, his top Moment of the Year competition appears to be Jose Altuve’s walk-off home run in the American League Championship Series, which clinched the Astros’ third league pennant in franchise history.

Elsewhere, former Rockets player and coach Rudy Tomjanovich — who played from 1970 through 1981, and served as head coach from 1992 through 2003 — is one of three inductees into the program’s third Hall of Fame class. Tomjanovich was the coach when the Rockets won their only two NBA titles in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons.

The voting committees for the Houston Sports Awards are comprised of sportswriters and electronic sports media members who live and work in the Greater Houston area.

The complete list of finalists can be read at the awards website, with the winners selected at a ceremony on Jan. 21, 2020, at the Hilton Americas in downtown Houston.

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Deshaun Watson headlines bevy of Texans nominations for Houston Sports Awards

Several Houston Texans including Deshaun Watson and late owner Robert McNair earned nominations for the Houston Sports Awards.

The Houston Texans will be represented at the Houston Sports Awards, held on Jan. 21, 2020.

The Harris County – Houston Sports Authority recently announced three Texans nominations for the Houston Sports Awards, including:

  • Deshaun Watson – Athlete of the Year
  • Bill O’Brien – Coach of the Year
  • Texans beat Patriots for the first time since. Jan. 2010 – Moment of the Year

In addition, late Texans owner and founder Robert McNair earned the lone nomination for the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus is the nomination for the Sportsmanship Award.

Watson joins USA Gymnastics star Simone Biles, Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, Houston Rockets guard James Harden and Astros pitcher Justin Verlander as nominees for Athlete of the Year.

O’Brien is joined by three in Astros manager A.J. Hinch, Rice University women’s basketball coach Tina Langley and University of Houston men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson.

The Texans’ moment of defeating the Patriots on Dec. 1 comes with competition. Jose Altuve’s walk-off home run in the ALCS, Harden’s 61 points at Madison Square Garden and Kaycee Fields’ sixth RodeoHouston win earned nominations as well.

The Houston Sports Awards will be on Jan. 21, 2020, at the Hilton Americas. It is presented by Insperity and the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority