Ex-Rockets owner ‘a true fan’
Charlie Thomas, the owner of a Texas car dealership empire who owned the Rockets from 1982 to 1993 and helped build the team that would win the franchise’s only championships, died Friday of complications from COVID-19, his son-in-law Danny Klaes said. Thomas was 89.
“On behalf of the entire Rockets organization, we are deeply saddened by the passing of former owner Charlie Thomas,” current owner Tilman Fertitta said in a statement. “He was a great friend & business partner who helped set the foundation of our franchise. I will miss my friend very much. Our thoughts go out to his loving family.”
Thomas maintained his passion for the Rockets and vintage automobiles throughout his life. He continued to attend games, always in his preferred location at the center court players’ tunnel at The Summit/Compaq Center, for years after he sold the team.
He did not miss televised Rockets games in the years since, Klaes said, often watching with some of his eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and daughters Kelly, Robin and Tracy.
“He remained a true Rockets fan,” Klaes said. “He always had them on the television. He really was a true fan and always just had a heart for all the fans.”
Thomas also loved his car collection, still owning roughly 250 antique automobiles on his ranch in Columbus.
Thomas bought the Rockets from the Maloof family for $11 million.
During his tenure as Rockets owner, he approved the move to trade Moses Malone to begin a rebuilding that led to the Rockets taking Hall of Famers Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon with the first picks of consecutive drafts and reaching the NBA Finals in 1986.
Thomas was part of a rift with Olajuwon when he accused the future Hall of Famer of feigning a hamstring injury amid an impasse in contract negotiations. Olajuwon demanded an apology that never came and was suspended.
But before the start of the next season, Thomas and Olajuwon spoke throughout the 14-hour flight to Tokyo for the 1992-93 season opener against the Seattle SuperSonics, mending fences. The Rockets then continued to build around Olajuwon, assembling much of the team that would win the 1993-94 and 1994-95 championships, along with making Rockets icon and future Hall of Famer Rudy Tomjanovich the coach.
Thomas’ place in Rockets history has long since been secure.
“The Rockets came to town in 1971, and by 1982, when Charlie bought the team, they’d gone through five different ownership groups,” longtime Rockets media relations director, broadcaster and historian Jim Foley said. “Charlie Thomas, who owned the team for 11 years, really brought the first stability of ownership to the team. That would be No. 1. No. 2, Charlie Thomas was there for the coin flips for Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon.
“Charlie and his late wife, Kittsie, were like a mother and father to those
Rockets teams for 11 years. When Hakeem Olajuwon got excited about his contract and almost said he was not going to play anymore, the flight from here to Japan enabled Charlie to sit down with his oldest son (Olajuwon) and resolve his situation. Thank God they did.”
Thomas sold the team after the 1992-93 season to Leslie Alexander for $85 million.
“As team governor of the Houston Rockets for more than 10 years, Charlie Thomas left an indelible mark on the franchise and laid the groundwork for two championship teams,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “He was an outstanding businessman and passionate basketball fan who remained a loyal supporter of the Rockets long after he sold the team. We send our deepest sympathies to Charlie’s family and friends.”
Thomas tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 27 after a trip to Mexico, enjoying life as he always had.
“He always said he was going to die from living, not live to die,” Klaes said.