Latest news with #TilmanFertitta
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Entering NBA offseason, Rockets focused on both talent and chemistry
Entering NBA offseason, Rockets focused on both talent and chemistry 'A winning basketball team not only takes a lot of talent, it takes a lot of chemistry,' Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta says, via PaperCity. 'You can't just look at it from a numbers standpoint.' The Houston Rockets clearly aren't ruling out superstar trade pursuits this offseason, but it's far from a given that any will reach the finish line. After leading the league in roster continuity prior to the 2024-25 season, the Rockets rose from 41-41 and No. 11 in the Western Conference in 2023-24 to 52-30 and No. 2 in the West in 2024-25. As owner Tilman Fertitta sees it, that's no coincidence. And a further leap might happen in 2025-26, should Houston simply stay the course. 'A winning basketball team not only takes a lot of talent, it takes a lot of chemistry,' Fertitta said during the recently completed 2025 playoffs, as captured by Chris Baldwin of PaperCity Magazine. 'You can't just take players, move them in and out, and change out half the team and not worry about the chemistry of the team. You can't just look at it from a numbers standpoint.' 'You have to play together as a team. And I think one of the positives about this team is they all really like each other and they all know their place (on the team). And they all respect each other.' 'The continuity is definitely a competitive advantage,' added Patrick Fertitta, Tilman's son and ownership's day-to-day representative in basketball operations. The Rockets also have in-depth knowledge of their young prospects, since each was selected after an extensive pre-draft scouting and interviewing process in recent years. 'We studied all these players that are on this team,' the elder Fertitta said, via PaperCity. 'We know everything about every player on this team. Their whole life.' In the same article, general manager Rafael Stone credited continuity as at least part of the reason for the leaps taken by some of Houston's young players last season. Alperen Sengun became a first-time NBA All-Star and drew All-NBA votes for the first time, while Amen Thompson earned Most Improved Player votes. 'Especially with a young team, we thought that continuity would be helpful for the younger players,' Stone told PaperCity. 'The more you know people, the more secure you feel. The easier it is to be yourself and grow.' As things stand, Houston has a 'young core' comprised of seven players selected in the first round of the 2021 through 2024 draft cycles: Jalen Green, Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Thompson, Cam Whitmore, and Reed Sheppard. All were 23 years old or younger last season. Should the Rockets stay the course, that's probably the group from which further developmental leaps can be found. More: 2024-25 NBA awards ballots: Who voted for members of the Rockets?
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta confirmed by Senate as new U.S. Ambassador to Italy
Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets and chairman, president, and CEO of dining, hospitality, gaming, and entertainment corporation Landry's Inc., was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the United States Ambassador to Italy. Tuesday's vote was 83-14 in support of Fertitta's nomination. Fertitta, 67, has ancestral roots in the region. His great-great-uncles were Sicilian immigrants who settled in Galveston, Texas. A Houston native, Fertitta is often referred to as 'the world's richest restaurateur.' Through Landry's, Fertitta owns more than 600 properties in 36 states and in over 15 countries. His restaurants feature more than 80 different restaurant brands. He also owns and operates numerous gaming, hospitality, and entertainment venues, including the Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel brand. Last fall, Forbes estimated Fertitta's total net worth at $10.1 billion, ranking him as the 99th-richest person in the United States. That figure is up about $2 billion from 2023. In March, Fertitta stated that pending confirmation, he plans to separate himself from numerous business entities. That list includes his position as CEO of Fertitta Entertainment LLC, the holding company that includes entities such as Landry's Inc. and the Golden Nugget franchise. Fertitta also plans to resign from positions with several other hospitality entities, major corporations, and nonprofit organizations, including the NBA team's Clutch City Foundation. Another resignation will take place with the University of Houston system, where Fertitta is chair of the Board of Regents. But with regards to the Rockets, his ownership role will not change. Furthermore, Tilman's 30-year-old son, Patrick, has served as the day-to-day ownership representative for multiple years. Thus, from a team perspective, there will be minimal changes — even if Tilman is away. More: 'We have liftoff': Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta celebrates playoff-clinching win This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Italy
Business Journals
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Business Journals
Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta confirmed as ambassador to Italy, San Marino
Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta poses for a photo during Rockets Media Day on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Houston.
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
In speaking with Trump, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta jabs Dallas for Luka Doncic trade
In speaking with Trump, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta jabs Dallas for Luka Doncic trade 'We talked about that dumbass Luka Doncic trade Dallas did,' Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said with a smile regarding a recent conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. Billionaire Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has a significant presence at the University of Houston (UH), where he has served as chairman of the of the UH System Board of Regents since 2009. The university's basketball arena renovation was largely financed by Fertitta and is now named the Fertitta Center. With Fertitta's investments helping to spark a revival of the program, the men's program at UH has enjoyed two NCAA Final Four appearances this decade, including a run to the national championship game earlier this month. So, it was only natural that Fertitta took part Wednesday in an on-campus celebration of the team's wildly successful 2024-25 season. And in his on-mic comments, he also took an NBA-related jab at the Dallas Mavericks, longstanding division rivals of the Rockets. Fertitta has long had a business relationship with current U.S. President Donald Trump, and they could soon have a political one if Fertitta is confirmed by the Senate, as expected, as the new U.S. Ambassador to Italy. In his comments at the UH celebration, Fertitta said he had brought up the Cougars' success in recent conversations with Trump. He then added, with a smile (via Chancellor Johnson): And then we talked about that dumbass Luka Doncic trade Dallas did. With Doncic leading the way alongside LeBron James, the Lakers finished as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and are currently tied in a first-round playoff series with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has found himself as the butt of many jokes for the deal that sent the 26-year-old Doncic to Los Angeles for a package headlined by a 32-year-old Anthony Davis — who is six years older and with a much more extensive injury history. Those criticisms have only picked up in recent days, since the Mavericks finished the 2024-25 season as the No. 10 seed in the West and were subsequently eliminated from postseason contention in the play-in tournament (with Davis limping on numerous occasions in their elimination loss). With the Mavs taking a step back, the playoff-bound Rockets (52-30) finished the regular season as the West's No. 2 seed while clinching their first Southwest Division title in five years. And their owner, Fertitta, is understandably having a laugh at the expense of his in-state, divisional rival. More: Tilman Fertitta says ownership of Rockets won't be affected by U.S. Ambassador stint
Axios
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Houston Rockets return to the playoffs
The Houston Rockets return to the NBA playoffs this weekend for the first time since 2020. Why it matters: Houston's postseason appearance is the culmination of years of rebuilding amid a season of high expectations. Driving the news: The Rockets (52-30) face a familiar foe in the Golden State Warriors (48-34) on Sunday at Toyota Center in the first game of a best-of-seven series. Houston, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, has home-court advantage over No. 7 seed Golden State. The Warriors won three of five games against the Rockets during the regular season, and oddsmakers have set the Rockets as the underdogs in the series. The Warriors won a play-in game Tuesday to advance to the playoffs. The intrigue: Tilman Fertitta — the potential Italian ambassador/billionaire who owns the Rockets — placed high expectations on the team this season after dumping millions into new player development facilities, signing promising young players and hiring head coach Ime Udoka to lead the team. State of play: The matchup is a study in contrasts: The Rockets rank low in shooting efficiency and passing but make up for it with the best offensive rebounding percentage in the league. The Warriors share the ball and have some good 3-point shooters. Many of the Rockets players were in middle school when Stephen Curry led the Warriors to their last championship in 2015. Curry, now in his 16th season in the league, will match up against Amen Thompson, in his second season. What they're saying:"When we're on point and pay attention to the details and play hard, we're one of the best teams in the NBA," starting guard Jalen Green told the Houston Chronicle ahead of the playoffs. Flashback: The Rockets outperformed every Western Conference team this season except for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who lost only 14 games. Houston finished with the fourth-best record in the entire league. They also made a run in the mid-season NBA Cup tournament but fell to the Thunder in the semifinals. What's next: The series winner advances to the conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers or Minnesota Timberwolves.
