The Houston Rockets play basketball.
The 1968 NBA draft was the 22nd annual draft of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The 1969 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1968 -- 69 season . Houston Rockets . In the 1968 NBA draft , the Rockets , picking first overall , selected power forward Elvin Hayes , who would lead the team to its first playoff appearance in his rookie season . The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) is an annual National Basketball Association ( NBA ) award given since the 1955 -- 56 season to the best performing player of the regular season .