Houston Cougars men's basketball facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Houston Cougars men's basketball |
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| University | University of Houston | ||
| First season | 1945–46; 80 years ago | ||
| All-time record | 1,470–887 (.624) | ||
| Head coach | Kelvin Sampson (12th season) | ||
| Conference | Big 12 Conference | ||
| Location | Houston, Texas | ||
| Arena | Fertitta Center (Capacity: 7,100) |
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| Nickname | Cougars | ||
| Student section | The Cage | ||
| Colors | Scarlet and Albino |
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| Uniforms | |||
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| NCAA Tournament Runner-up | |||
| 1983, 1984, 2025 | |||
| NCAA Tournament Final Four | |||
| 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2021, 2025 | |||
| NCAA Tournament Elite Eight | |||
| 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2021, 2022, 2025 | |||
| NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen | |||
| 1956, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | |||
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | |||
| 1956, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2010, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | |||
| Conference Tournament Champions | |||
| 1978, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1992, 2010, 2021, 2022, 2025 | |||
| Conference Regular Season Champions | |||
| 1946, 1947, 1950, 1956, 1983, 1984, 1992, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | |||
The Houston Cougars men's basketball team plays for the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. They compete in Division I college basketball. The team is part of the Big 12 Conference.
The Cougars have played in 26 NCAA tournaments. They have also won 22 conference championships. Several players and coaches from the team are in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Team History
The Houston Cougars men's basketball team started in the 1945–46 season. Their first coach was Alden Pasche.
Early Years (1945–1956)
In their first two seasons, the Cougars won titles in the Lone Star Conference. They also played in the NAIA Men's Basketball tournaments in 1946 and 1947. Coach Pasche led the team to a 135–116 record. In 1950, they won the Gulf Coast Conference championship. Guy Lewis, who later became a famous coach, played for Pasche. He then became an assistant coach before taking over.
The Guy Lewis Era (1956–1986)
When Coach Pasche retired in 1956, Guy Lewis became the head coach. Lewis was a former Cougars player. He led Houston to 27 winning seasons in a row. His teams had 14 seasons with 20 or more wins. They also made 14 trips to the NCAA tournament.
Lewis's teams reached the Final Four five times. These were in 1967, 1968, and from 1982 to 1984. They played in the NCAA Championship Game twice, in 1983 and 1984. Famous players coached by Lewis include Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Clyde Drexler.
In 1968, Lewis's Cougars played against the undefeated UCLA Bruins. More than 50,000 fans watched this game in the Astrodome. This game was called the “Game of the Century”. It made college basketball much more popular.
In the early 1980s, Lewis's teams were known as "Phi Slama Jama". They were famous for their fast-paced, "above the rim" style of play. They attracted many fans with their exciting dunks and overall success.
In the 1983 NCAA Final, Houston lost in a very close game. The North Carolina State Wolfpack won with a last-second dunk. In the 1984 NCAA Final, the Cougars lost to the Georgetown Hoyas. Lewis retired in 1986 with a great record of 592 wins and 279 losses.
Lewis was also known for supporting the slam dunk, which was once not allowed. He also carried a red-and-white polka dot towel during games. Lewis helped bring racial integration to college sports in the South. He was one of the first coaches to recruit African-American players. His recruitment of Elvin Hayes and Don Chaney in 1964 led to great success for the Cougars.
Joining Conference USA (1996–2004)
In 1996, the Cougars joined Conference USA. The team had a tough start in this new conference. Clyde Drexler, a former Cougars star, became the coach in 1998. Fans were excited, but Drexler resigned after two seasons to spend more time with his family.
Ray McCallum took over as coach. In 2001–02, the team had a winning record of 18–15. They won two conference tournament games and played in the National Invitation Tournament.
Building Up the Team (2004–2010)
Tom Penders became the head coach in 2004. He was known for improving basketball programs. In his first season (2004–05), the team made it to the NIT.
The 2005–06 season started well. The Cougars beat nationally ranked teams like the LSU Tigers and Arizona Wildcats. This earned them a national ranking for the first time in years. However, they struggled later in the season and again went to the NIT.
The 2006–07 team, called "The Show," had high hopes for the NCAA tournament. They played many strong teams but lost to all of them. This meant they did not get an invitation to the NCAA tournament or even the NIT.
In 2007–08, the team tried a new nickname, "The Show—In 3D." They hoped to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1992. They started strong but lost important games at the end of the season. They played in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament.
The 2009–10 team finished the regular season with a 15–15 record. They won the C–USA Tournament, beating Memphis and UTEP. This earned them a spot in the NCAA tournament, their first since 1992. They lost to Maryland in the first round. Coach Penders resigned in March 2010. James Dickey was hired as the new coach.
Joining The American (2013–2023)
In the 2013–14 season, Houston joined the new American Athletic Conference. Coach Dickey stepped down in March 2014.
On April 3, 2014, Kelvin Sampson became the new Cougars head coach. In his first season (2014–15), Houston had a tough year. However, the team started to improve in 2015–16, finishing with a 22–10 record.
In 2017–18, the Cougars had a 27–8 record. They won a game in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1984. In 2018–19, they set a new team record with 33 wins. They reached the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament, which was their first time in 35 years.
In 2020–21, the Cougars were ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation. They won the AAC Tournament. They then made it to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament, their first since 1984. They lost to Baylor in the Final Four.
During the 2021–22 season, the Cougars won the AAC regular season championship. They also won the conference tournament. They reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament.
In 2022–23, their last season in the AAC, the Cougars reached the number one ranking in the AP Poll. This was the first time they were ranked number one since 1983.
Joining the Big 12 Conference
In September 2021, the University of Houston was invited to join the Big 12 Conference. The Cougars started playing in the Big 12 in the 2023–24 season. In their first year, they won the regular season title with a 32–5 record.
In the 2024–25 season, the Cougars had one of their best years ever. They won both the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles. They were a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. They made it to the national championship game, beating Purdue and Duke in close games. They lost a close championship game to Florida.
Conference History
The Houston Cougars have been part of several different conferences:
- Lone Star Conference (1945–1949)
- Gulf Coast Conference (1949–1950)
- Missouri Valley Conference (1950–1960)
- Independent (1960–1975)
- Southwest Conference (1975–1996)
- Conference USA (1996–2013)
- American Athletic Conference (2013–2023)
- Big 12 Conference (2023–present)
Top 25 Rankings
The Houston Cougars have finished in the top 25 rankings 17 times. These rankings come from the AP Poll and/or the Coaches Poll.
| Season | Final record | AP Poll | Coaches Poll |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965–66 | 23–6 | 14 | |
| 1966–67 | 27–4 | 7 | 6 |
| 1967–68 | 31–2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1969–70 | 25–5 | 12 | 11 |
| 1970–71 | 22–7 | 14 | 18 |
| 1972–73 | 23–4 | 13 | 18 |
| 1977–78 | 25–8 | 16 | |
| 1982–83 | 31–3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983–84 | 32–5 | 5 | 5 |
| 2017–18 | 27–8 | 21 | 22 |
| 2018–19 | 33–4 | 11 | 12 |
| 2019–20 | 23–8 | 22 | 23 |
| 2020–21 | 28–4 | 6 | 3 |
| 2021–22 | 32–6 | 15 | 7 |
| 2022–23 | 33–4 | 2 | 6 |
| 2023–24 | 32–5 | 3 | 3 |
| 2024–25 | 35–5 | 2 | 2 |
Team Rivalries
The main rival for Houston is Rice. They play for the Bayou Cup trophy. In recent years, rivalries have also grown with Cincinnati and Memphis.
Other rivals include former Southwest Conference teams like Baylor, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.
Houston vs. Rice
Houston has a strong lead over Rice in their games, with a record of 66–18 through the 2024–25 season.
Houston vs. SMU
Houston also leads SMU in their games, with a record of 58–34 through the 2024–25 season.
Head Coaches
| Coach | Tenure | Overall record |
Conference record |
Conference regular season titles |
Conference tournament titles |
NCAA tournament appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alden Pasche | 1945–1956 | 135–116 (.538) | 63–55 (.534) | 4 | 1 | |
| Guy Lewis | 1956–1986 | 592–279 (.680) | 134–98 (.578) | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| Pat Foster | 1986–1993 | 142–73 (.660) | 70–38 (.648) | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Alvin Brooks | 1993–1998 | 54–84 (.391) | 26–46 (.361) | |||
| Clyde Drexler | 1998–2000 | 19–39 (.328) | 7–25 (.219) | |||
| Ray McCallum | 2000–2004 | 44–73 (.376) | 24–40 (.375) | |||
| Tom Penders | 2004–2010 | 121–77 (.611) | 56–38 (.596) | 1 | 1 | |
| James Dickey | 2010–2014 | 64–62 (.508) | 26–40 (.394) | |||
| Kelvin Sampson | 2014–present | 299–84 (.781) | 151–48 (.759) | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Totals | 1,470–887 (.624) | 13 | 9 | 26 | ||
Note: Records are through the 2024–25 season.
Postseason Games
NCAA Tournament Results
The Cougars have played in 26 NCAA tournaments. Their total record is 45 wins and 31 losses. They have reached the Final Four seven times. This is the most Final Four appearances for any team that has not won a national championship.
The NCAA started seeding teams in the tournament in 1978.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
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| 1956 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game |
SMU Kansas State |
L 74–89 L 70–89 |
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| 1961 | Regional quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game |
Marquette Kansas State Texas Tech |
W 77–61 L 64–75 L 67–69 |
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| 1965 | Regional quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game |
Notre Dame Oklahoma State SMU |
W 99–98 L 60–75 L 87–89 |
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| 1966 | Regional quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game |
Colorado State Oregon State Pacific |
W 82–76 L 60–63 W 102–91 |
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| 1967 | Regional quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional finals Final Four National 3rd-place game |
New Mexico State Kansas SMU UCLA North Carolina |
W 59–58 W 66–53 W 83–75 L 58–73 W 84–62 |
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| 1968 | Regional quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional finals Final Four National 3rd-place game |
Loyola–Chicago Louisville TCU UCLA Ohio State |
W 94–76 W 91–75 W 103–68 L 69–101 L 85–89 |
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| 1970 | Regional quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game |
Dayton Drake Kansas State |
W 71–64 L 87–92 L 98–107 |
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| 1971 | Regional quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game |
New Mexico State Kansas Notre Dame |
W 72–69 L 77–78 W 119–106 |
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| 1972 | Regional quarterfinals | Texas | L 74–85 | |
| 1973 | Regional quarterfinals | Southwestern Louisiana | L 89–102 | |
| 1978 | (4Q) | First round | (2L) Notre Dame | L 77–100 |
| 1981 | #8 | First round | #9 Villanova | L 72–90 |
| 1982 | #6 | First round Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four |
#11 Alcorn State #3 Tulsa #2 Missouri #8 Boston College #1 North Carolina |
W 94–84 W 78–74 W 79–78 W 99–92 L 63–68 |
| 1983 | #1 | Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship |
#8 Maryland #4 Memphis State #3 Villanova #1 Louisville #6 NC State |
W 60–50 W 70–63 W 89–71 W 94–81 L 52–54 |
| 1984 | #2 | Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship |
#10 Louisiana Tech #6 Memphis State #4 Wake Forest #7 Virginia #1 Georgetown |
W 77–70 W 78–71 W 68–63 W 49–47 OT L 75–84 |
| 1987 | #12 | First round | #5 Kansas | L 55–66 |
| 1990 | #8 | First round | #9 UC Santa Barbara | L 66–70 |
| 1992 | #10 | First round | #7 Georgia Tech | L 60–65 |
| 2010 | #13 | First round | #4 Maryland | L 77–89 |
| 2018 | #6 | First round Second round |
#11 San Diego State #3 Michigan |
W 67–65 L 63–64 |
| 2019 | #3 | First round Second round Sweet Sixteen |
#14 Georgia State #11 Ohio State #2 Kentucky |
W 84–55 W 74–59 L 58–62 |
| 2021 | #2 | First round Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four |
#15 Cleveland State #10 Rutgers #11 Syracuse #12 Oregon State #1 Baylor |
W 87–56 W 63–60 W 62–46 W 67–61 L 59–78 |
| 2022 | #5 | First round Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight |
#12 UAB #4 Illinois #1 Arizona #2 Villanova |
W 82–68 W 68–53 W 72–60 L 44–50 |
| 2023 | #1 | First round Second round Sweet Sixteen |
#16 Northern Kentucky #9 Auburn #5 Miami (FL) |
W 63–52 W 81–64 L 75–89 |
| 2024 | #1 | First round Second round Sweet Sixteen |
#16 Longwood #9 Texas A&M #4 Duke |
W 86–46 W 100–95 OT L 51–54 |
| 2025 | #1 | First round Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship |
#16 SIU Edwardsville #8 Gonzaga #4 Purdue #2 Tennessee #1 Duke #1 Florida |
W 78–40 W 81–76 W 62–60 W 69–50 W 70–67 L 63–65 |
NIT Results
The Cougars have played in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times. Their record is 5 wins and 11 losses.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Quarterfinals | Dayton | L 77–94 |
| 1977 | First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final |
Indiana State Illinois State Alabama St. Bonaventure |
W 83–82 W 91–90 W 82–76 L 91–94 |
| 1985 | First round | Lamar | L 71–78 |
| 1988 | First round Second round |
Fordham Colorado State |
W 69–61 L 61–71 |
| 1991 | First round | Stanford | L 86–93 |
| 1993 | First round | UTEP | L 61–67 |
| 2002 | Opening round | Vanderbilt | L 50–59 |
| 2005 | Opening round | Wichita State | L 69–85 |
| 2006 | First round Second round |
BYU Missouri State |
W 77–67 L 59–60 |
| 2016 | First round | Georgia Tech | L 62–81 |
| 2017 | First round | Akron | L 75–78 |
CBI Results
The Cougars have played in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) three times. Their record is 3 wins and 3 losses.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | First round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
Nevada Valparaiso Tulsa |
W 80–79 W 91–67 L 69–73 |
| 2009 | First round | Oregon State | L 45–49 |
| 2013 | First round Quarterfinals |
Texas George Mason |
W 73–72 L 84–88 OT |
NAIA Tournament Results
The Cougars have played in the NAIA tournament twice. Their record is 2 wins and 2 losses.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | First round Second round |
High Point Indiana State |
W 63–34 L 43–62 |
| 1947 | First round Second round |
Montana State Arizona State–Flagstaff |
W 60–58 L 42–44 3OT |
NBA Draft Picks
Houston has had 49 players chosen in the NBA draft.
| Draft year | Round | Pick (overall) | Player | Position | Drafted by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 5 | 49 | Charles Raynor | G | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1952 | 9 | 96 | Royce Ray | G | Rochester Royals |
| 1954 | 10 | 81 | Gary Shivers | C | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1955 | 8 | 69 | Don Boldebuck | C | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1956 | 6 | 46 | Don Boldebuck | C | Boston Celtics |
| 13 | 70 | Arthur Helms | F | St. Louis Hawks | |
| 1961 | 1 | 9 | Gary Phillips | G | Boston Celtics |
| 2 | 15 | Ted Luckenbill | F | Philadelphia Warriors | |
| 1963 | 3 | 25 | Lyle Harger | F | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1965 | 14 | 101 | Jack Morgenthal | G | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1967 | 10 | 105 | Don Kruse | C | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1968 | 1 | 1 | Elvin Hayes | F/C | San Diego Rockets |
| 1 | 12 | Don Chaney | G | Boston Celtics | |
| 1969 | 2 | 20 | Ken Spain | C | Chicago Bulls |
| 9 | 117 | George Reynolds | G | Detroit Pistons | |
| 1970 | 11 | 183 | Melvin Bell | F | Baltimore Bullets |
| 12 | 189 | Ollie Taylor | G | Cleveland Cavaliers | |
| 1971 | 4 | 56 | Poo Welch | G | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1972 | 1 | 3 | Dwight Davis | F | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1973 | 1 | 9 | Dwight Jones | F/C | Atlanta Hawks |
| 3 | 47 | Steve Newsome | F | Chicago Bulls | |
| 1975 | 4 | 59 | Louis Dunbar | F | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 5 | 78 | Maurice Presley | C | Portland Trail Blazers | |
| 1976 | 5 | 78 | Dave Marrs | F | Houston Rockets |
| 1977 | 1 | 2 | Otis Birdsong | G | Kansas City Kings |
| 1978 | 5 | 89 | Cecile Rose | G | New Jersey Nets |
| 6 | 128 | Charles Thompson | F | Phoenix Suns | |
| 1979 | 4 | 71 | Larry Rogers | F | New York Knicks |
| 1980 | 9 | 189 | Ken Williams | G | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1982 | 1 | 19 | Rob Williams | G | Denver Nuggets |
| 6 | 136 | Lynden Rose | G | Los Angeles Lakers | |
| 1983 | 1 | 14 | Clyde Drexler | G/F | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2 | 29 | Larry Micheaux | F | Chicago Bulls | |
| 1984 | 1 | 1 | Akeem Olajuwon | C | Houston Rockets |
| 1 | 24 | Michael Young | G/F | Boston Celtics | |
| 10 | 208 | Carl Lewis | G | Chicago Bulls | |
| 1985 | 5 | 103 | Reid Gettys | G | Chicago Bulls |
| 1986 | 4 | 80 | Alvin Franklin | G | Sacramento Kings |
| 1987 | 1 | 23 | Cadillac Anderson | F/C | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2 | 28 | Rickie Winslow | F | Chicago Bulls | |
| 1988 | 2 | 26 | Rolando Ferreira | C | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1990 | 2 | 30 | Carl Herrera | F | Miami Heat |
| 1991 | 2 | 44 | Álvaro Teherán | C | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1994 | 2 | 52 | Anthony Goldwire | G | Phoenix Suns |
| 2001 | 2 | 51 | Alton Ford | C | Phoenix Suns |
| 2017 | 2 | 44 | Damyean Dotson | G | New York Knicks |
| 2021 | 1 | 25 | Quentin Grimes | G | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2023 | 1 | 8 | Jarace Walker | F | Washington Wizards |
| 1 | 25 | Marcus Sasser | G | Memphis Grizzlies | |
| 2024 | 2 | 45 | Jamal Shead | G | Sacramento Kings |
Individual Awards
National Coach of the Year Awards
Several Houston coaches have won national awards for being the best coach.
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Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year
Ben Jobe Award
Henry Iba Award
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NABC Coach of the Year
The Sporting News Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year Award
UPI College Basketball Coach of the Year
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National Player of the Year Awards
Houston players have also won national awards for being the best player.
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Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year
Basketball Times Player of the Year
Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year
Jerry West Award
Lefty Driesell Award
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NABC Defensive Player of the Year
Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award
NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player
Sporting News Men's College Basketball Player of the Year
UPI College Basketball Player of the Year
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All-Americans
14 Houston players have been named to an All-American team. This means they were recognized as some of the best players in the country.
Key to All-American Selections
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Chosen as a top player by most major groups | ||||
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Chosen as a second-tier top player by most major groups | ||||
| AP | Associated Press | UPI | United Press International |
| NABC | National Association of Basketball Coaches | USBWA | United States Basketball Writers Association |
| SN | The Sporting News |
| Year | Player | Position | Selector(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Gary Phillips | G | USBWA (1st) |
| 1967 | Elvin Hayes |
F/C | AP (1st), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), UPI (1st) |
| 1968 | Elvin Hayes |
F/C | AP (1st), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), UPI (1st) |
| 1972 | Dwight Davis | F | AP (2nd) |
| 1974 | Louis Dunbar | F | NABC (5th) |
| 1977 | Otis Birdsong |
G | AP (2nd), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), UPI (1st) |
| 1981 | Rob Williams | G | AP (3rd) |
| 1983 | Clyde Drexler |
G/F | AP (2nd), USBWA (1st), UPI (3rd) |
| 1984 | Akeem Olajuwon |
C | AP (1st), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), UPI (2nd) |
| Michael Young | G/F | AP (3rd), NABC (3rd), UPI (3rd) | |
| 2021 | Quentin Grimes | G | AP (3rd), USBWA (3rd), NABC (3rd), SN (3rd) |
| 2023 | Marcus Sasser |
G | AP (1st), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), SN (2nd) |
| 2024 | Jamal Shead |
G | AP (1st), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), SN (1st) |
| 2025 | LJ Cryer | G | AP (3rd), USBWA (3rd), NABC (3rd), SN (3rd) |
Note: Honorable Mention selections are not included.
Conference Player of the Year
The following Houston players were named the best player in their conference:
| Season | Player | Position | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976–77 | Otis Birdsong | G | Southwest |
| 1980–81 | Rob Williams | G | |
| 1982–83† | Clyde Drexler | G/F | |
| 1983–84 | Akeem Olajuwon | C | |
| 2020–21† | Quentin Grimes | G | The American |
| 2022–23 | Marcus Sasser | G | |
| 2023–24 | Jamal Shead | G | Big 12 |
† means co-Player of the Year (shared the award).
Conference Coach of the Year
The following Houston coaches were named the best coach in their conference:
| Season | Coach | Conference |
|---|---|---|
| 1955–56 | Alden Pasche | Missouri Valley |
| 1982–83 | Guy Lewis | Southwest |
| 1983–84 | ||
| 1991–92 | Pat Foster | |
| 2017–18 | Kelvin Sampson | The American |
| 2018–19 | ||
| 2021–22 | ||
| 2022–23 | ||
| 2023–24 | Big 12 | |
| 2024–25 |
Individual Honors
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
These Houston players and coaches are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This is a very high honor in basketball.
| Year inducted | Name | Position | Tenure | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Elvin Hayes | F/C | 1965–1968 | |
| 2004 | Clyde Drexler | G/F | 1980–1983 | |
| 2008 | Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 1981–1984 | |
| 2013 | Guy Lewis | Coach | 1953–1986 |
Retired Numbers
The Cougars have retired the numbers of six men's basketball players. This means no other player on the team will wear these numbers again, honoring the players' great achievements.
| Houston Cougars Retired Numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | Ref. | |
| 10 | Otis Birdsong | G | 1973–1977 | ||
| 22 | Clyde Drexler | G/F | 1980–1983 | ||
| 24 | Don Chaney | G | 1965–1968 | ||
| 34 | Hakeem Olajuwon | C | 1981–1984 | ||
| 42 | Michael Young | G/F | 1980–1984 | ||
| 44 | Elvin Hayes | F/C | 1965–1968 | ||
More About the Team
- Game of the Century
- Guy Lewis
- Phi Slama Jama
