Earlier this week, the Rockets announced that the Fertitta family had agreed to purchase the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and relocate the franchise to Houston, starting in 2027.
Led by Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta, the Fertitta family has owned the Rockets since 2017. Like the Rockets, the Comets are expected to play their home games at Toyota Center, and they will also have access to the team’s newly constructed training and practice facility.
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Tuesday’s home game versus the New York Knicks — the first since the WNBA news broke — offered team leaders a chance to address the news for the first time.
Speaking to Rockets Wire, Kevin Durant said:
I’m so happy to see that. The Comets are a historic franchise, a historic brand… that kickstarted the WNBA. I’m glad they’re back. Can’t wait to see WNBA basketball in Houston.
Durant, who scored a game-high 27 points on elite efficiency during Houston’s win, then made a lighthearted reference to the unfortunate situation in Connecticut.
“I feel for the people in Connecticut, because they definitely supported their team through and through,” Durant said. “But they’ve got UConn women’s basketball. They’ll be alright.”
UConn, of course, is short for the University of Connecticut — which will play in both the women’s and men’s NCAA Final Four tournaments this weekend.
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For Ime Udoka, head coach of the Rockets, there was a personal tie to the news. He explained (via Danielle Lerner, USA TODAY):
Just excited to have the team coming back. (They have) a history of winning, and it’s great to have a WNBA (team) in the market, regardless. It’s extra special to me; my sister (Mfon Udoka) played with that franchise for a few years, and to have them coming back to Houston is obviously a great thing. I want to give them a little bit of love.
Several players and staffers, including Udoka and Durant, arrived to Tuesday’s game wearing WNBA Houston or Comets apparel.
During the game, “the big three” of former Comets players from the first iteration of the franchise — Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson — were recognized on the court during a timeout. Each received a loud ovation from fans.
Led by that trio, the Comets won the WNBA’s first four championships in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000, becoming the league’s first dynasty.
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“I’m glad we could honor the legends that played for the Comets earlier,” Durant told Rockets Wire.
Cooper was WNBA Finals MVP in each of those four years and league MVP in 1997 and 1998, and her jersey remains retired in the Toyota Center rafters.
That iteration of the franchise ceased operations in 2008, but a new generation will begin in 2027. Fans interested in learning more or placing a deposit for season tickets can visit the newly launched team website, www.houstoncomets.com.
More: In 2027, the WNBA’s Houston Comets are officially back
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Kevin Durant, Ime Udoka pumped for return of WNBA’s Houston Comets
