‘Dunkstronaut' returns: Rockets to bring back popular City Edition uniforms in 2025-26
'Dunkstronaut' returns: Rockets to bring back popular City Edition uniforms in 2025-26 Back by popular demand, the Rockets are returning to their 'dunkstronaut' City Edition uniforms in the 2025-26 NBA season. That set was first worn in the 2023-24 season.
Under something of a 'greatest hits' concept by the NBA and Nike, teams across the league are returning to a previous City Edition uniform during the upcoming 2025-26 season.
A few of the NBA's 30 teams are using alternate color versions, but each is doing at least a variation of a popular concept from the first few years of the program. Most are simply running it back with their most beloved version, as is.
In Houston, that will mean bringing back the 2023-24 'dunkstronaut' concept, which pays homage to the city's basketball history. In the team's original announcement from late 2023, here's how those white uniform sets were described:
These uniforms are a part of the overarching 'Hometown Heroes' storyline, which was developed to celebrate NBA teams' unique connection to their respective cities.
The Rockets new City Edition jersey is adorned with 'H-Town' across the chest in honor of the impact Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler had in building Houston's love of basketball during their iconic Phi Slama Jama collegiate careers (at the University of Houston). The 'H-Town' nickname was quickly adopted by the players and appeared on their team warmups during the 1982-83 season.
The jersey design is a fusion of classic and modern elements, combining the sleek, contemporary style of today's NBA uniforms with the retro flair from the Phi Slama Jama era. It prominently features 'H-Town' in a sleek, script typeface with player's name and numbers designed in a bold collegiate style.
A standout feature of the uniform is the inclusion of a dunking astronaut on the side of the shorts This emblem is a homage to the high-flying style of Phi Slama Jama and to City of Houston's status as 'Space City,' adding a unique and powerful touch to the uniform. The shorts also include silicon print signatures from Olajuwon and Drexler near the bottom corner tag.
The dunking astronaut became known as the 'dunkstronaut,' and that logo was featured at midcourt as part of a custom, matching court design at Toyota Center for those City Edition games.
The news of Houston bringing back its 2023-24 City Edition uniforms was first reported on X by ProLine Mockups and Basketball Jersey Archive, and Rockets Wire can confirm the reporting.
Choices by other NBA teams can be viewed in that thread. City Edition uniforms for seasons beyond 2025-26 have yet to be revealed.
More: Hometown heroes: With nod to Houston's hoops history, Rockets unveil 2023-24 City uniforms
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