​The Houston Rockets have sported a total of 52 different jersey numbers since their inception at the start of the 1967-68 season, with one player—Houston assistant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson—sitting outside any numerical sequence. Over the course of Rockets history, these numbers were worn by nearly 500 players. In a different frame of reference, a November 3 game in Toronto featured Vince Carter, wearing No. 15 for the Toronto Raptors, as he faced off against Tyronn Lue (No. 10) and Jim Jackson (No. 21) of the Houston Rockets at the Air Canada Centre; the Raptors won that night 95-88. Note: by downloading or using that Getty Images photograph, the user consents to the Getty Images License Agreement.
To honor every player who wore these numbers across the decades, Rockets Wire has embarked on a comprehensive series tracing the team’s jersey numbers and the players who wore them from the franchise’s founding to the present day. The project highlights a rich tapestry of history, including seven jerseys that have since been retired to recognize some of the Rockets’ most legendary figures.
This installment continues the series with the eighth feature in a 16-part sequence focused on No. 21, worn by wing player Jim Jackson. After concluding his college career at Ohio State, Jackson was selected fourth overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. The Toledo, Ohio native spent parts of his first five professional seasons with Dallas. His journey then took him to the New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn), Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Sacramento Kings, before signing with the Houston Rockets in 2003. Jackson remained with the Rockets through 2003–04 before being traded to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (now the Pelicans) in 2004.
While with Houston, Jim Jackson wore jersey No. 21 exclusively, averaging 13.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steal per game. This piece on No. 21 and Jim Jackson contributes to Rockets Wire’s broader exploration of the Rockets’ jersey history, documenting the players who have worn each number and the era in which they played. This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire as “Houston Rockets jersey history No. 21 – Jim Jackson (2003-04)” to support SEO and historical clarity.