Tad Brown will step down as CEO of the Houston Rockets at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, he announced Friday. Brown has spent nearly 20 years with the team and has been in the CEO role since October 2006, making him one of the franchise’s most long-standing executives.
Brown indicated at Friday’s news conference that the rest of the organization’s current leadership team, including owner Tilman Fertitta, general manager Rafael Stone, and head coach Stephen Silas would remain in place. Brown noted that there was a succession plan in place for his CEO position, adding that it would be announced “very soon.”
“It’s time to move on,” Brown told reporters in his introductory comments on Friday. “It’s been the greatest honor of my professional life to lead this organization. It’s been the ride of a lifetime.”
“I think I’ve always had a pretty good ability to feel the room, and kind of understand what will be in the organization’s best interest,” he added.
Here’s a sampling of what else was said and learned at Friday’s shocking news conference from Toyota Center.
Rockets CEO Tad Brown announces that he will be transitioning out of his position at the end of the season.
— Cayleigh Griffin (@cayleighgriffin) April 23, 2021
"It's time to move on, and it's time to take on other adventures."
Brown calls it the greatest honor of his lifetime, to have had this job.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) April 23, 2021
"(Tilman) and his son Patrick will be incredible stewards for this team moving forward"- Tad Brown
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) April 23, 2021
"It's a really bittersweet time for me, but I'm excited about the future." – Rockets CEO Tad Brown
— Brandon Kyle Scott (@brandonkscott) April 23, 2021
Tad Brown on stepping down: 'I feel it's the right time. I think I've always had a pretty good ability to feel the room and kind of understand what will be in the organization's best interest."
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) April 23, 2021
With Tad Brown's exit from the Rockets the Les Alexander era is officially over
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) April 23, 2021
Tad Brown announced he’s “transitioning” out of his role as CEO of the Rockets effective end of the season: “It’s been the ride of a lifetime.” pic.twitter.com/WTEW8xmXeB
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) April 23, 2021
Tad Brown notes he and Yao Ming joined the Rockets during the same week
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) April 23, 2021
Tad Brown says he's been thinking of an exit strategy for over a year now, then really approached Tilman Fertitta with the idea over the holidays.
— Brandon Kyle Scott (@brandonkscott) April 23, 2021
Tad Brown has mentioned Rockets Chief Revenue Officer Gretchen Sheirr multiple times during this presser. He referred to her as his right hand over the last 15 years and he says she has a great relationship with Tilman and Patrick Fertitta
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) April 23, 2021
Tad Brown on leaving as CEO of the Rockets effective end of the season: “It’s very emotional as you can imagine. This is my heart and soul. This is my life..This is something that’s gonna be a part of my heart and soul for the rest of my life..It’s the right thing to do.” pic.twitter.com/JPabfXcQrF
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) April 23, 2021
Tad Brown: “It was a really challenging fall. … The people who left meant a lot to me.”
His departure comes on the heels of the exits of Mike D’Antoni, Daryl Morey and James Harden. https://t.co/hQtzXpbOEo
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 23, 2021
Tad Brown on whether his decision had any connection to the #Rockets ownership change: "This has nothing to do with ownership. This is one of the most uniquely selfish things I've ever done." #Rockets
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) April 23, 2021
That's your opinion. It is not Tad Brown's. "This has nothing to with ownership. This is one of the most uniquely selfish things I've ever done. This isn't about Tillman. Tillman has been fantastic about everything we needed. I would hope people would not go there."
. https://t.co/h7Q5DlLHUr— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) April 23, 2021
With Tad Brown stepping down as Rockets CEO, he says his successor will be announced soon. pic.twitter.com/UCNDIoVBnG
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) April 23, 2021
Tilman Fertitta bought the Houston Rockets three and a half years ago. The team he got won 65 games and was a hamstring away from a title in his first season.
Since then, the team has lost all five starters, the head coach, the GM and the CEO.
This is definitely his team now.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) April 23, 2021
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