Diving into the Houston Rockets' jersey history is a journey through over five decades of basketball, from the franchise's founding in 1967 to the present day. With 52 different numbers worn by nearly 500 players, each jersey tells a story. Today, we spotlight the first of sixteen players to wear number 12: guard Nick Jones.

Selected 31st overall in the 1967 NBA Draft by the then-San Diego Rockets, Jones began his professional career straight out of the University of Oregon. His rookie season in 1967-68 would be his only stint with the franchise before it moved to Houston, making him a unique part of the team's West Coast origins.

During that inaugural season, Jones exclusively wore number 12, contributing averages of 5.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. While his stats may not headline the record books, his role as an early draft pick for a brand-new franchise cements his place in Rockets lore. Players like Jones laid the foundation for a team that would later see jersey number 12 worn by other notable figures throughout its storied history.

His journey reminds us that every number has a beginning, and every player who has donned the Rockets uniform is a thread in the rich tapestry of the team's identity.