On This Date in Sports February 13, 1995: Phi Slamma Jamma Reunion
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
It’s a reunion of Phi Slamma Jamma as the Houston Rockets acquire Clyde Drexler from the Portland Trail Blazers at the trade deadline. Drexler had played with Hakeem Olajuwon at the University of Houston when the Cougars played in the 1983 NCAA Tournament Final. Drexler would go on to play a vital role in the playoffs as the Rockets won a second straight NBA Championship.
The early 1980s were fun times for the University of Houston Men’s Basketball Team. Coached by Guy Lewis, the Cougars went the Final Four three straight seasons, losing to North Carolina in the Semifinals in 1982, and losing in the Championship Game in 1983 and 1984. The Cougars played a quick-paced, exciting brand of basketball with a heavy emphasis on dunking. Houston Chronical writer Thomas Bonk coined the term “Phi Slamma Jamma” for the team. The name was embraced by the players and fans and came to define the golden era of Houston Basketball.
Two members of Phil Slamma Jamma went on to have legendary NBA careers. Clyde “the Glide” Drexler, who graduated in 1983, was chosen with the #14 overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1983 NBA Draft. He quickly became a fan favorite in Portland, making it to eight All-Star Games with the Blazers, as they went to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. Drexler, a late addition to the 1992 Dream Team, had grown unhappy by 1995, as the team began to retool for the future. Seeking to win an NBA Championship, Clyde Drexler requested a trade to a contender a request the Blazers would honor.
Hakeem, “The Dream” Olajuwon, was the seven-foot center of the Houston Cougars. Born in Nigeria, he was the top player on Phil Slamma Jamma, despite his lack of experience playing the sport, his skill level was undeniable. In the 1984 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, Olajuwon was the first overall pick ahead of Michael Jordan. While there were some growing pains, Hakeem Olajuwon became one of the most dominant centers in the NBA. By 1994, Hakeem Olajuwon had become an American Citizen and become a Houston sports icon, winning the NBA MVP and leading the Rockets to an NBA Championship.
After winning the 1994 NBA Finals in seven games against the New York Knicks, the Houston Rockets had a championship hangover, as they were struggling to equal their level of play as they had the target on their back from the rest of the league. As the trade deadline approached, the Rockets were holding a record of 29-17, knowing that they needed to add a second piece if they were to win a second straight championship. At the trade deadline, the Rockets landed Clyde Drexler and Tracy Murray in a trade with the Trail Blazers, sending Otis Thorpe, Marcelo Nicol, and a 1995 Draft Pick to Portland in return.
The trade appeared to be a bust at first, as Clyde Drexler struggled to adjust to the system employed by Rockets’ coach Rudy Tomjanovich. The Rockets struggled over the final two months of the season, going 17-18 after the trade. They would end the season as the sixth seed in the Western Conference at 47-35, finishing just three games better than the Blazers. Come playoff time it would be a different story, as the Rockets beat the Utah Jazz in five games, winning the last two games to stave off elimination if the first round. They then rallied from being down 3-1 to beat the Phoenix Suns in seven games, becoming the first road team to win a Game 7 in 13 years. From there, it got easier, as the Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs in six to return to the NBA Finals, where they would sweep the Orlando Magic in four straight to win to repeat as NBA Champions. The Rockets are the only seed higher than fourth to have won an NBA title.