Houston Rockets

Former Houston Rocket Vernon Maxwell is opening up about a wild confrontation he had with Hakeem Olajuwon during halftime of a game back in the day ... saying police drew guns on him after he tried to stab "The Dream" during the heated altercation.

The 2x-NBA champ made the startling revelation on Gilbert Arenas' podcast, "No Chill With Gilbert Arenas" ... where he recalled his encounter with the Hall of Famer which nearly turned fatal.

Maxwell says the crazy incident started as he and Olajuwon walked back to the locker room at halftime. Vernon was pissed his teammates weren't feeding him the ball, compromising his numbers for the game.

Vernon and Hakeem exchanged words in the tunnel en route back to the locker room ... and once there, Maxwell says Olajuwon slapped him in his face.

"I said, 'God damn, this motherf***er slapped the s**t out of me,'" Maxwell said. "That motherf***er hit me so hard, man, [he] knocked me out the chair."

"I jumped up, grabbed my chair, and throwed it at [that] motherf***er, bust the glass in the locker room. Everybody running out. Police come in with the guns drawn, like 'what the hell goin' on in here?'"

"Damn, they got the guns on me at a professional halftime. At a professional game," he continued.

Maxwell -- who played 6 seasons on the Rockets with Olajuwon -- says had the police not barged in to break up the mayhem, he was going to "chase Dream and stab the s**t out of him."

Luckily, cooler heads prevailed, and Vernon and Hakeem went on to maintain a civil relationship ... and after becoming Muslim, Dream even talked to VM about converting religions.

One of the greatest brand-athlete deals in the history of the sports could be heading toward splitsville ... Tracy McGrady just revealed he thinks his relationship with Adidas is "coming to an end."

The former Houston Rockets superstar made the announcement while on stage at the Hashtag Sports conference in Las Vegas on Thursday ... calling his partnership with the shoe giant "rocky" at the moment.

"I've been with Adidas for 25 years," McGrady said. "I think we're coming to an end. I think we're coming to an end."

Tracy revealed this has been brewing for around 10 years now ... after he said he has not been happy with the way the company has dealt with him in the past decade.

Specifically, McGrady seemed displeased with the way Adidas has handled the creation of his one-on-one, tournament-style basketball league -- the Ones Basketball League.

"When I started OBL, I was told I couldn't pull this off by Adidas," McGrady said. "So, that's why I feel that way."

It's unclear of how the logistics of a formal split would work between the two parties -- McGrady did, after all, famously sign a lifetime deal with Adidas back in 2002.

But, if it truly somehow is the end ... it's sad for a lot of hoops fans and sneakerheads. The two combined to make some of the most memorable basketball shoes ever -- including the T MAC 1s.

Tyron Woodley, Nate Robinson and the Houston Rockets mascot all now have something in common -- each has been knocked out by Jake Paul!!

The Problem Child added "Clutch" to his KO victim list in a hilarious scene at the Rockets vs. Timberwolves game in Houston on Sunday -- moments after the furry mascot challenged Paul to a "fight" near his seat.

In video of the "altercation" posted to his social media page Monday, you can see the Houston mascot came over to Jake with some comically large gloves on and challenged him to a boxing match.

At one point, the mascot appeared to tag Jake in the arm -- which got the YouTuber out of his chair.

Jake then quickly put Clutch into his place, hitting the bear to the floor with a big right hand.

Paul talked a little smack and went back to his seat -- and fans found the interaction hilarious.

Of course, the punch was all scripted and the mascot is OK ... but Jake still had fun with it all on his Instagram page -- writing in the video's caption, "Will Smith'd em."

Kevin Porter Jr. was way too hyped over Christian Wood's performance in the Rockets' wild win on Monday ... 'cause he got so excited, he completely ate it on the locker room floor!!

The game was nuts -- Houston came back from 23 points down on the Washington Wizards to win by 18 ... with Wood earning a career-high 39 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and going 8-9 from 3-point range in the process.

The Rockets' players showed love for the 26-year-old hooper after the 115-97 win ... by completely drenching him with water and cheering for their guy.

But, KPJ might've been just a tad too turnt -- stumbling to the carpet as the team went wild after the game.

Don't worry -- Porter was able to hop back up and rejoin the squad as they headed to the locker rooms ... but you can hear some guys busted out laughing in reaction to the fall.

The scene looked like an upset win during March Madness ... and it basically was -- the Rockets are now 18-54 with the dub, while the Wizards fall to 30-41.

Wizards analyst Glenn Consor is under fire for jaw-dropping comments made about Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. during Wednesday's game ... with LeBron James seemingly calling for his job.

The moment took place after KPJ hit a game-winning three-pointer to beat the Wizards, 114-111 ... with Consor saying, "Kevin Porter Jr. -- like his dad -- pulled that trigger right at the right time."

The issue??? Porter's dad, Kevin Porter Sr., was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a 14-year-old girl in 1993.

Porter Sr. claimed at the time he accidentally pulled the trigger -- which a witness later backed up -- but he spent more than 4 years behind bars as a result of the incident.

Porter Sr. later died in 2004 ... after he was shot 5 times in an incident at a bar.

Considering the Porter family's history, social media erupted in frustration over Consor's statement during the game ... including LeBron, who went off on the analyst early Thursday morning.

"Oh he thought this was cool huh!!??," James said on Twitter. "Nah we ain't going for this! Sorry but this ain't going to fly!"

He added ... "How insensitive can you be to say something like this. Beat it man! I pray for you but there's no place in our beautiful game for you!"

Others who spoke on the comments are hoping Consor mistakenly thought KPJ's father was former NBA player Kevin Porter, who led the league in assists 4 times during his 11-year career.

Porter Jr., Consor, the Wizards and the NBA have yet to comment on the situation ... but we'll keep you updated as soon as someone talks.

Houston Rockets star Christian Wood nailed a fan in the forehead with a wayward pass on Monday ... and he felt so badly about it afterward, he offered up free tickets as an apology.

The wild scene all went down in the Rockets' tilt with the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center, when Wood was trying to start a fastbreak at the end of the first half.

Wood grabbed the rebound, turned, and then heaved a pass to his teammate that was so errant, it sailed into the stands and plunked a woman right in the noggin.

You can see in the video, the ball hit the fan flush -- sending her crashing to the ground.

Wood and the rest of his Rockets teammates clearly felt awful -- but somehow, the woman appeared to walk away without any sort of injuries.

After the game, Wood apologizes for the terrible throw ... saying, "happens to the best of us."

"Courtside tix to any rocket game of her choice," he added.

By the way, things didn't get much better for Wood as the night went on ... Houston ended up getting blown out, 123-99.

Is there anyone on the planet who doesn't know who Drake is?!?

The last two people who don't might've ended up courtside next to the megastar at the OKC Thunder vs. Houston Rockets game on Wednesday ... and the interaction is priceless!!!

The "Certified Lover Boy" was sitting in the front row as the Rockets were set to take the court in OKC ... and when cameras started showing Drizzy at his seat, the old guy sitting next to him seemed to ask if he was someone of importance.

Drake was clearly amused by whatever was said -- he starts cracking up and calls for the camera to focus on his new friend ... as Rumble, OKC's mascot, comes over to join in on the fun.

After the interaction, Drake and his new friends even posed for a selfie ... captioning it, "My new parents."

BTW -- Drake was at the game to support fellow Toronto guy Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ... who chatted it up with him after scoring 39 points in the 114-110 loss.

The Houston Rockets have temporarily axed its "Travis Scott Night" promotion slated for Wednesday night ... with the team planning to honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy in its place.

The Rockets were set to hand out 3,000 limited edition Scott-themed shirts prior to their matchup against the Detroit Pistons ... but will instead have a moment of silence for the 8 people who died and the others affected at the music festival in Houston.

Of course, Scott is one of the Rockets' most famous fans ... and has been spotted courtside at countless games over the years.

But given the tragic events that took place Friday night, postponing the promotion was a no-brainer.

Rockets head coach Stephen Silas shared his condolences to the families of the victims of the festival ... adding his 14 and 17-year-old daughters actually wanted to attend with their friends, but were unable to due to a volleyball tournament in Dallas.

Time heals all wounds -- that is unless you're Charles Barkley, who's STILL beefing with Scottie Pippen after 22 years ... with Chuck now proclaiming he's "damn sure tougher" than the 6-time champ.

Of course, Chuck and Pip's beef dates back to their disaster of a season as teammates on the Houston Rockets in 1999 ... when Scottie called him fat and Barkley fired back, saying he'd "get arrested for murder" if Pippen didn't apologize for his comments.

The Bulls legend reignited the feud in June 2021 ... claiming, "I ain’t never seen him fight a Black man unless there were referees around."

Barkley is now getting his response in ... saying, "I’m DAMN sure tougher than Scottie Pippen."

"I don’t walk around saying I’m Billy Badass, but I can promise you one thing -- I’m tougher than Scottie Pippen," Barkley told ESPN 1000's "Waddle and Silvy"

"Let me put that to rest right now."

So ... will we see Chuck and Pippen get in the ring as the newest celebrity boxing match?? Don't hold your breath, 'cause Barkley says he doesn't need the money, but claims Scottie might.

"I’m not no fake tough guy, I don’t pretend to be a tough guy but I am tougher than Scottie Pippen."

The injuries Sterling Brown suffered during a violent attack outside a Miami strip club this week were MUCH worse than originally reported -- he was rushed to the emergency room while bleeding profusely and some teammates feared for his life.

It's all spelled out in a bombshell report by The Athletic ... which details how the Houston Rockets player was badly beaten outside the Booby Trap strip club in Miami early Monday morning.

According to the report, Brown accidentally got in the wrong vehicle on the way out of the club -- and the people inside didn't take too kindly to the mix-up.

The men reportedly launched a vicious attack on Brown -- cracking him in the head with a liquor bottle ... which opened up gashes all over his face.

Brown's teammate, Kevin Porter, Jr., reportedly took action and tried to rescue Brown ... but suffered his own injuries in the process. Porter's injuries were minor ... and he ended up playing Monday night.

Brown, on the other hand, is still in very bad shape -- one source told The Athletic, "His face is jacked up."

Brown required "multiple heavy stitching jobs for his facial injuries," according to the Athletic -- which describes the scene at the hospital this way, "blood was everywhere."

One source summed it up this way ... "If he hadn’t been as physically strong and tough, he might not have made it out of the situation ... He could have died.”

Despite the severity of the injuries, Brown has since been discharged from the hospital ... and has returned to Houston for more treatment.

Houston Rockets player Sterling Brown was the victim of a late night attack on Sunday evening and suffered injuries to his face, the team has announced.

Yeah, this is wild.

26-year-old Brown -- the same guy who was unnecessarily manhandled and tased by Milwaukee PD officers back in 2018 -- says he doesn't not know who ran up on him Sunday evening ... but it sounds terrifying.

Here's the statement from the Rockets:

"Last night, Sterling Brown was the victim of an assault. He has no prior knowledge of or interaction with the assailants. He suffered facial lacerations but will make a full recovery. Sterling is not playing tonight because of his prior knee injury."

The Rockets did not specify where the assault took place -- but the team is currently in Miami to play the Heat on Monday night.

As we previously reported, Brown reached a $750k settlement with the City of Milwaukee for the 2018 tasing incident, which was captured on video.

In addition to the money, the City of Milwaukee agreed to issue a statement admitting they violated Brown's constitutional rights.

Brown signed with the Rockets in November 2020.

Story developing ...

Losing frickin' sucks ... and if you need any proof, just check out Rockets head coach Stephen Silas ... who had an equally sad and hilarious reaction to Houston's 20th-straight loss on Sunday.

The Rockets have become one of the worst teams in the league over the past 2 months ... and haven't won a game since before Valentine's Day(!!!)

After losing a close 114-112 contest to the OKC Thunder on Sunday, Silas was asked if he thought the weight of the losing streak was building and affecting how the Rockets play.

Visibly frustrated, Silas rubs his forehead and goes completely silent for an awkward 10 seconds to gather his thoughts ... before muttering one subdued, "Yeah."

You have to feel for the guy -- Silas is in his first season as an NBA head coach, and he was placed in an extremely tough situation to succeed.

If you don’t remember, James Harden forced his way out of Houston in January to go play in Brooklyn ... and Russell Westbrook was traded before the season even started.

On top of that, emerging star Christian Wood -- who was dominating so far this season -- missed a month due to an ankle injury.

Ever since Wood went down, the Rockets have been awful ... posting an 11-30 record so far this season.

James Harden's jersey will hang alongside Hakeem, Drexler and Yao Ming's one day ... with Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta announcing the team will "absolutely" retire its former superstar's #13 in the future.

Of course, the two sides had a nasty, public breakup earlier this season ... with the former MVP forcing a trade out of H-Town.

But, Fertitta is considering it water under the bridge ... telling the Houston Chronicle the Rockets WILL recognize the Brooklyn Nets guard with the highest honor eventually.

"James Harden will always be a Rocket," Fertitta said Tuesday. "Of course, we will retire his jersey. He made my first three years of owning this franchise unforgettable."

"The success he brought this franchise over eight years and the memories he created for our fan base/community (are) truly remarkable."

There's no debating Harden was one of the best players in the league during his 8+ seasons in Houston -- he had 3 scoring titles, 6 1st Team All-NBA nods and an MVP in 2018.

The 31-year-old led the Rockets to the playoffs each season with the Rockets ... making it to the Western Conference Finals twice.

Harden will become the franchise's 7th player to receive the honor when it happens.

James Harden is saying goodbye to his home of 9 years with an emotional tribute ... saying he is "forever indebted" to the city after failing to bring the Larry O'Brien trophy back to Houston.

The 2018 MVP had a messy breakup with the Rockets to say the least ... from asking for a trade, to partying in ATL and Las Vegas during training camp, to publicly bashing the team.

But, JH put all that aside in his final message to H-Town ... thanking the organization and city for taking a chance on him.

"What can I write? What words can convey all the ways I feel," Harden said Friday.

"Houston you welcomed me with no guarantees. Took a leap of faith and it changed my life and the lives of my family, forever. This organization, this city has given me everything I could ask for and more."

He added ... "Before the scoring titles, long before MVP, you believed. For that I am forever indebted. The city opened its arms and welcomed me and my family as one of its own and for that I am forever indebted."

FWIW -- the Rockets won their first game of the post-Harden era Thursday night ... beating the San Antonio Spurs 109 to 105. So, things aren't all bad in H-Town!!

The superstar continued ... "I gave my mind, body and soul in hopes of bringing the glory to the city. I fell short and for that, I am forever indebted. It’s far from a goodbye, as I pay all my debts."

James Harden's new upscale restaurant in Houston isn't even open yet, but the place is getting flooded with bad reviews ... courtesy of a bunch of pissed-off Rockets fans!!

Despite being shipped to the Brooklyn Nets this week, Harden's restaurant -- named "Thirteen" after his jersey number -- is set to open its doors later this month.

A number of passionate fans used the restaurant's review section as an opportunity to troll the hell out of their new nemesis ... leaving a bunch of angry 1-star reviews of the place.

Here are a few examples of the reviews:

"Literal trash just like James harden"

"Owner doesn’t know how to cook it up in the court."

"Doesn't quite have that championship taste."

"toxic owner, food just never comes out finished. definitely a choking hazard. owner walked out on the chefs he brought in himself. wouldn’t touch this place with a 4 mile long pole."

One fan even used the same words from Harden's final post-game presser with the Rockets ... saying, "I literally have done everything that I can. I mean, this situation is crazy. It's something that I don't think can be fixed"

There are a LOT more we could share ... but you get the point.

Some fans, however, are taking the higher road by trying to combat the bad reviews with 5 stars and kindness, like this guy who said, "The owner carried my team for 8 years and made us relevant."

The new spot will offer fine wine, cocktails and steaks ... so folks can at least enjoy that even if Harden is gone.

It appears James Harden is on the verge of getting a one-way ticket outta Houston ... 'cause Rockets head coach Stephen Silas told the NBA superstar to stay home after ripping the team in a post-game interview.

31-year-old Harden unleashed on the Rockets after their 117-100 loss to the Lakers on Tuesday night ... saying, "we're just not good enough" and claiming the situation is beyond repair.

In wake of Harden's comments, a clearly fed up Silas explained why The Beard was absent from practice Wednesday.

"We felt that it was best for the group and best for James not to come to practice," Silas said.

Harden's teammate, John Wall, spoke out about #13's reaction to the team's 3-6 start ... saying, "It’s only been nine games. Come on, man, you want to jump off the cliff after nine games?"

"When you have certain guys in the mix that don’t want to buy in all as one, it’s going to be hard to do anything special, to do anything good as a basketball team."

DeMarcus Cousins wasn't as nice Wednesday afternoon.

"My interest is to play with John Wall, to be brutally honest," Cousins said.

"The (James Harden) disrespect started way before. This isn't something that all of a sudden started last night."

"It's completely unfair to the rest of the guys in the locker room."

Of course, Harden's name was in the news all offseason -- JH was spotted in ATL and Las Vegas while his teammates were in Houston preparing for the season ... claiming he was "training" for the season.

There are rumors Harden could be shipped to the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia Sixers or other potential teams as a result of the drama ... so it's very possible he's played his last game in Houston.