Addendum (10/10 - 1:10 pm). This ensemble is accompanied by an LOA from David Nordstrom, former longtime equipment manager of the Houston Rockets, which dates the warmup suit to the 1986-1987 season. An image of the LOA has been posted with the other photos.
Houston Rockets warm-up suit (jacket and pants) and shorts worn by Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, circa 1990s. 1) Warm-Up Suit. The white-red-and-gold knit button-front short is lettered "Rockets" across the front and "Houston" on the reverse. All letters are applied in red tackle twill. A "Rawlings 44" label appears on the interior right front tail. Olajuwon's uniform number, "34," is written on the Rawlings label in vintage black marker. The matching red-white-and-gold pants, with snap-up sides, feature a "Rawlings 34" label in the waistband, along with a red strip tag that reads "38 ins" in white chain-stitch. Olajuwon's uniform number, "34," is written in vintage black marker on the Rawlings label. Olajuwon has inscribed the jacket "Hakeem Olajuwon #34" in blue marker (grading 8/10) on the left breast. Both the jacket and pants are original as issued and display moderate-to-heavy wear, including light, scattered stains on front, reverse, and sleeves of the jacket, and a few small stains on the pants. 2) Shorts. The red mesh shorts, with white-and-gold trim are lettered "Rockets" in white tackle twill on the right leg. Located on the rear interior are both a "Sand-Knit 36" label and a second "Sand-Knit" label that reads in part "Designed & Tailored Exclusively for the Houston Rockets." Also located on the interior is a white strip tag bearing Olajuwon's uniform number, "34" written in vintage black marker, and two additional white strip tags, reading, respectively, 1-2" HR and 1-2" IN in black embroidery. The shorts are original as issued and display moderate wear.