Beyonce Loses Out on Houston Rockets, CNBC Star Gets Team Instead

Beyonce's hopes of buying the Houston Rockets just got pushed to the left ... to the left -- instead, the team will be sold to billionaire restaurateur Tilman Fertitta.

Fertitta will fork over a check to current owner Leslie Alexander for $2.2 BILLION, this according to ESPN.

Alexander bought the team for $85 mil in 1993 ... so, not a bad investment for that guy!

Fertitta is COUSINS with Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, the guys who made billions from the UFC -- but he was NOT an investor in that business.

Tilman is reportedly worth $3.1 billion, so says Forbes ... and stars in the CNBC reality show "Billion Dollar Buyer" -- where he buys blossoming companies.

Beyonce was rumored to be in the mix to buy the Rockets as part of an investment group -- but lost out ... despite support from her mother, who even posted a pic of B in a Rockets jersey over the weekend.