Houston Style Magazine Vol 34 No 15

Publisher Francis Page, Jr. fpagejr@stylemagazine.com

Associate Publisher

Lisa Valadez lisa@stylemagazine.com

Managing Editor

Jo-Carolyn Goode editorial@stylemagazine.com

Social Media Editor/Videographer

Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com

Sports Editor

Brian Barefield brian_barefield@yahoo.com

Food Writer

Alex Jack alexandriajack1991@gmail.com

Arts Editor Kathleen Coleman kathleen@stylemagazine.com

NATIONAL WRITERS

Jesse Jackson jjackson@rainbowpush.org

Roland Martin www.rolandmartin.com

Judge Greg Mathis www.askjudgemathis.com

Erynn Haskins editorial@stylemagazine.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Vicky Pink vhpink@gmail.com

Mike Munoz artrepreneur91@gmail.com

ADVERTISING/SALES

AdVertising emAil advertising@stylemagazine.com

Reuel Williams reuel@stylemagazine.com

Layout Editor Cameron C. Lee thisiscam6@gmail.com

Erynn Haskins e.haskins90@gmail.com

MINORITY PRINT MEDIA, LLC, D.B.A.

Houston Style Magazine & www.StyleMagazine.com

Phone: (713) 748-6300 • Fax: (713) 748-6320

Mail: P.O. Box 14035, Houston, TX 77221-4035

©2023 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Reproduction in whole or within part without permission is prohibited. Houston Style Magazine has a 2019 Audit by Circulation Verification Council (CVC). Houston Style Magazine is a member of the Texas Publishers Association (TPA), Texas Community Newspaper Association (TCNA), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Independent Free Paper of America (IFPA), Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP). National Association of Hispanic Publications, Inc. (NAHP, Inc.), Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Latin Women’s Initiative (LWI), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals (HAHMP), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and Supporters of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP)

The right to vote is the foundation of democracy. In voting, we are all equal: one person, one vote is the standard. Yet in the United States, the right to vote is not written in the Constitution. Who has the right to vote and whether the right would be restricted or extended – has caused bitter, partisan battles across our history.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was designed to protect the right to vote for citizens in the states with a history of voter discrimination – largely in the South. It outlawed literacy tests, set national standards, and required pre-clearance for changes to voting rights by the Justice Department. When the Supreme Court gutted the Act in 2013 – erasing the pre-clearance standard – it opened the floodgates to efforts to make registration and voting more difficult, particularly for minorities and for the young.

The right to vote once more has become a partisan issue. Republicans increasingly seek to make registration and voting more difficult – often on the grounds of stopping voter fraud despite the fact that there is no evidence that it exists. Democrats have become the party pushing for voter reforms that would make it easier to register and vote. The result are laws that vary dramatically from state to state.

Consider what happens to those convicted of a crime. In Maine, Vermont and the District of Columbia, offenders never lose the right to vote even when they are incarcerated. In 23 states, offenders lose the right to vote when they are incarcerated and have it automatically restored when they are released. In 14 states, the right to vote isn’t restored upon release, but

THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS A CONTINUING POLITICAL STRUGGLE

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

only when the offender finishes parole or probation and pays off fines or makes restitution. In 11 states, the loss of voting rights is permanent.

Similarly for young people, in some states, young people are allowed to pre-register even before they reach the legal age of eligibility. Schools are empowered or required to reach out to students and introduce them to registration forms. In other states, nothing is provided for the young. In some states, various forms of voter ID requirements make it hard for college students to vote where they attend college, instead of in their home states.

Efforts to establish baseline national standards have been frustrated by filibusters in the Senate run by Republican senators. Congress was unable to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act which would have revived the Voting Rights Act, or the For the People Act, that would have established national standards for voting and registration, established Automatic Voting Registration, abolished partisan gerryman -

dering, and helped curb dark money in politics.

Without national standards partisan efforts at the state level continue. The Brennan Center reports that by February of this year, 150 restrictive voting bills have been introduced in 32 states – bills that would make it harder to register or vote. These bills limit vote by mail, protect improper purges of the voting rolls, limit voting ties, require limited and strict ID, eliminate the number of polling places – all designed to make it harder to vote, particularly for minorities or young people.

In 2021, states enacted more restrictive legislation than at any time since the Center began tracking legislation. At the same time, in 34 states, there are 274 bills introduced to expand voting access. These bills enact automatic voter registration and Election Day registration, facilitate voting by mail, expand early voting days and hours on voting, put strict limits on purges of the voting rolls, and more.

In the recent election of a

Supreme Court judge in Wisconsin, staggering sums of money poured in because majority control of the Court was at stake. Two issues dominated: whether the court would outlaw the right to abortion in Wisconsin, and whether it would rubber stamp partisan gerrymandering that enabled the party that won the fewest votes – the Republicans –to control the majority in the state legislature.

The right to vote in free elections in fair districts should be a patriotic mission, not a partisan issue. Yet our reality is much different. The right to vote – and whether it is suppressed or encouraged – is a continuing political struggle. And in 2023, that struggle grows ever more fierce.

You can write to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in care of this Newspaper or by email at: jjackson@rainbowpush.org

HOUSTON BLACK RESTAURANT WEEK 2023 KICKS OFF SECOND WEEK AT GOTTI’S RESTAURANT Gotti’s Restaurant is the newest addition to EADO, offering classic Cajun dishes with a Houston twist

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

Houston Black Restaurant Week

2023 officially kicked off its second week on April 8, 2023, at Gotti’s Restaurant in East Downtown (811 St. Emanuel Street, Houston, TX) with a special Easter menu, live entertainment, prizes, and more.

Gotti’s Restaurant first opened its doors in 2021 and has quickly become known for its authentic menu of Cajun classics with a special Houston flare such as Cajun Fried Lobster Pasta; Seafood Fried Rice featuring crawfish, shrimp, and scrambled egg; Fried Catfish and Shrimp Platters; and much more. Customers enjoy a relaxed and upbeat atmosphere with top-notch customer service. “Great food, great atmosphere, great customer service. I’ll be coming regularly,” said one of the restaurant’s earliest diners, echoing the

sentiments of repeat customers since the EADO eatery’s launch.

Local entrepreneur and native Houstonian Irv “Gotti” Williams is the owner of Gotti’s Restaurant. Williams

originally hails from Houston’s Third Ward and attended Texas Southern University, where he was an active participant in the Jessie H. Jones School of Business’ Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). This experience led to networking and building relationships with local business leaders. During this time, Williams became known around campus as a computer and programming expert, and he gained the nickname “Irv Gotti”. Both of his parents were also originally from Houston and helped to spark his entrepreneurial spirit at a young age. Williams’ love for authentic Creole and Cajun dishes, along with his

previous life experiences and the support from his family, led him to create the unique concept found exclusively at Gotti’s Restaurant.

Although Gotti’s is the newest eatery in EADO, they have quickly become one of the most well- known. “Our staff has worked hard to create a menu and experience for our guests. We were recently named in the Top 3 Black Owned Restaurants in Houston. It is extremely rewarding to see my hard work pay off as customer line up and come in groups to dine with us,” said Williams.

“I was honored when Black Restaurant Week asked us to host its kickoff event this year,” said Williams. “We are a new restaurant, and this was unexpected.”

Houston Black Restaurant Week, which runs from April 2-16, 2023, held a special event at Gotti’s Restaurant on April 8th with a fun day planned and limited edition menu and more. Brunch & Bingo, one of Gotti’s customers favorite activities, will be featured with prizes and live DJ entertainment.

Read more at

TEXAS SOUTHERN CHEERLEADERS MAKE HISTORY AS THE FIRST HBCU TO WIN THE NCAA NATIONAL NCA CHEER COMPETITION TITLE IN 75 YEARS

By Jo-Carolyn Goode

TS, TS, TS, TSU, U,U, U, I thought you knew! If you didn’t know, now you do. The Texas Southern University (TSU) cheerleaders have put Texas Southern University and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on the map as the first HBCU to win the 2023 NCAA collegiate National Cheer Association Championship title. In NCA’s 75-year history, no HBCU has ever won the national cheer competition.

Making their first performance ever at the NCA national competition, the TSU squad brought enormous power and heart with them to Daytona Beach, Florida, where the competition was held, constantly putting up scores in the high nineties. TSU athletics reported that the team started the preliminary rounds with scores of 94.05 performance, 96.1 as a raw score, and a 95.5875 event score. Their final scores were 96.1 performance, 96.1 as a raw score, and 95.5875 event score. The Tiger cheerleaders overtook their competitors from Niagara University to win first place in the Cheer Spirit Rally Division I competition.

"When I first came to TSU, I told the team we're going to Nationals," TSU Cheer Head Coach Shontrese Comeaux said in a TSU release. "When we earned our gold bid at NCA Camp, I told the team, 'It's time to go to work'. I knew this was the year and the team to

get the job done. I'm so proud of them and where we're going to take the cheer program next."

Not only did the team win the gold bid at NCA camp, but they also took home the All-American award by the mascot Tex the Tiger, second place in overall game day, and overall most spirited.

"They've worked very hard for this moment over the past several months. To see the long hours they've dedicated come to fruition in the form of a national championship is amazing, and I want to commend the coaching staff and team members for their efforts. This team has made history at Texas Southern, and everyone apart of TSU nation is proud of their accomplishments," said Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Kevin Granger.

Houston Style Magazine got a chance to speak to one of the proud cheerleaders about being on the awarding team. Victoria Brown is a senior accounting major, and this is her second year as a member of the TSU cheer team.

Daily for two and a half hours for the three months, Brown and her teammates stretched, ran laps around the gym, and ran their routine over and over again until they could perform it in their sleep. That hard work paid off in a major way—national champions!

"My reaction after hearing us

being named first place was crazy, because I didn’t think they were going to call our name for real, but they did. It was an amazing feeling. I wouldn’t trade that for nothing," said Brown, as she said the experience was definitely one of her best moments as a TSU cheerleader. This is Brown’s second year on the team of twenty-four student athletes. In order to stay on the team, Brown must be an awesome cheerleader but, more importantly, an even better student. Between balancing her studies with cheer practice, one might think Brown doesn’t have time for anything else. However, she does. The busy on-the-go college senior also has a job and manages to maintain active membership in her sorority of choice, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®. She has excellent time

management skills.

Brown admits her life is crazy, but cheer is her escape. "I love cheerleading because it’s my getaway from the real world. I can be myself in cheering. It’s like my own little world!" exclaimed Brown, who began cheerleading when she was eight years old. Hearing the roar of tiger fans at games gets Brown pumped to cheer. She loves tumbling for fans to get them really excited about the home team. She has one more season to cheer before she graduates in December 2023 and begins her professional career.

Rounding out the top five cheer teams for the NCA competition were North Carolina A&T State University in third, Florida A&M University in fourth, and A&T State University in fifth.

TSU Cheerleader Victoria Brown/ Photo Credit: Victoria Brown

NASHVILLE SENDS JUSTIN JONES BACK TO THE TENNESSEE HOUSE DAYS AFTER GOP LAWMAKERS OUSTED HIM

ourdays after being expelled by Tennessee's Republican-controlled House of Representatives, Democrat Justin Jones marched back to the Capitol on Monday following a unanimous vote by the Nashville Metropolitan Council to reappoint him as

His return representing Nash ville's House District 52 put a excla mation point on a remarkable 100-hour stretch in which Jones and another Black Democrat, Justin Pearson, lost their seats in an extraordinary, emotionally charged legislative session, after calling for gun reform during a protest on the Democrat who had joined them, Rep. Gloria Johnson, narrowly avoided expulsion during Thursday's House session.

Jones returned to the House fellow Democrat, Rep. Antonio Parkinson, introduced him to the session as "our newest member." After the city council decision late in the afternoon, Jones joined demonstrators in a march to the state Capitol.

The crowd gathered at the meeting erupted into cheers after the vote. Those marching with Jones chanted, "Whose house? Our House."

Speaking from the steps of the Capitol after walking the four blocks from City Hall, Jones told the crowd: "Today we are sending a resounding message that democracy will not be killed in the comfort of silence. Today

Stephen

we send a clear message to Speaker Cameron Sexton that the people will not allow his crimes against democracy to happen without challenge."

State law allows local legislative bodies to appoint interim House members to fill the seats of expelled lawmakers until an election is held. The 36-0 vote to return Jones to his seat followed a vote to suspend a procedural rule that prevents an individual from being nominated and appointed to the seat in the same meeting.

On Thursday, Jones and Pearson were forced out of the legislature in a two-thirds majority vote cast by

their Republican colleagues. Johnson, a White woman, survived the vote and held on to her seat.

Sexton earlier indicated he would not stand in the way of the appointments if the local governing bodies choose to send Jones and Pearson back to the chamber.

"The two governing bodies will make the decision as to who they want to appoint to these seats," a spokesperson for the speaker's office told CNN Monday. "Those two individuals will be seated as representatives as the constitution requires."

Pearson's vacant District 86

seat will be addressed during a special meeting of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in Memphis on Wednesday afternoon, Commission Chairman Mickell Lowery said.

"I believe the expulsion of State Representative Justin Pearson was conducted in a hasty manner without consideration of other corrective action methods," Lowery said in a statement. Pearson joined Jones on the steps of the Capitol after the Nashville Metropolitan Council vote.

"It's never a good idea to give up on the movement led by people that look like this, who are committed to the ideals but not just committed in heart but in body and spirit... they'll show up for the movement," Pearson said. "The movement lives."

Having a voice and a vision in the state House matters, Pearson told supporters.

"You might try and silence it. You might try and expel it, but the people's power will not be stopped," he said. "Because this is what democracy looks like."

'The world is watching Tennessee' Read more at StyleMagazine.com

Justin Jones carries his name tag after he is expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives Photo Credit:Cheney Orr Reuters

Shawn Nottingham, Theresa Waldrop, Amy Simonson, Ritu Prasad and Aya Elamroussi, CNN

ck Excellence in Sports Leadership General Manager Houston Astros

Dr

Loren Blanchard

President University of Houston-Downtown President Rice University

Expo

Excellence

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND ABORTION PILL MANUFACTURER ASK APPEALS COURT TO FREEZE JUDGE'S ORDER THAT COULD MAKE DRUG UNAVAILABLE AFTER FRIDAY

By Tierney Sneed and Ariane de Vogue, CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire

The Justice Department and a manufacturer of medication abortion drugs asked a federal appeals court on Monday to put on hold a judge's ruling that could make the drug unavailable nationwide after Friday. The requests, filed on Monday before the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, are seeking a short-term administrative stay as well as a long-term stay pending appeal on a lower court ruling from US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who ordered the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the drug to be suspended.

An administrative stay would give the appellate court more breathing room to consider whether Kacsmaryk's ruling should be frozen while the litigation plays out. The Justice Department and Danco, a manufacturer of the drug mifepristone that intervened in the case to defend the FDA's approval in 2000, had both already filed notices of appeal.

Kacsmaryk said his Friday night order would not go into effect for seven days to give the Justice Department time to appeal.

The Justice Department is asking for the 5th Circuit to act on its emergency request by noon on Thursday, "to enable the government to seek relief in the Supreme Court if necessary."

The department's lawyers told the appeals court that if Kacsmaryk's ruling were to go into effect, it "would thwart FDA's scientific judgment and severely harm women, particularly those for whom mifepristone is a medical or practical necessity."

"This harm would be felt throughout the country, given that mifepristone has lawful uses in every State," the DOJ filing said. "The order would undermine healthcare systems and the reliance interests of businesses and medical providers. In contrast, plain-

tiffs present no evidence that they will be injured at all, much less irreparably harmed, by maintaining the status quo they left unchallenged for years."

Danco similarly told the appeals court that if Kacmsaryk's order wasn't frozen, it "is certain to cause irreparable harm: to women who will lose access to the medication abortion regimen that is the standard of care; to Danco; to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; and to the separation of powers undergirding judicial and regulatory action."

Kacsmaryk's order in a case brought in Texas by anti-abortion rights activists is seemingly at odds with another federal court ruling handed down less than an hour later in a separate case on the other side of the country.

That second order said that the FDA must maintain the drug's availability in 17 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia, which sued to make abortion pills easier to obtain. In that case, US District Judge Thomas O. Rice said the FDA could not do anything that would reduce the availability of the drug in the 18 jurisdictions that brought the lawsuit.

The Justice Department has not said yet whether it will appeal Rice's order. On Monday, the Justice Department asked Rice to clarify how

FDA should comply with his order if Kacsmaryk's ruling is allowed to go into effect, with a filing that pointed to a "significant tension" between the two rulings.

Mifepristone is the first pill in the two-pill process to terminate a pregnancy. Medication abortion makes up the majority of abortions in the United States.

With its latest 5th Circuit filing, the Justice Department argued that the district court upended the FDA's approval of mifepristone, "depriving patients of access to this safe and effective treatment, based on the court's own misguided assessment of the drug's safety."

"The district court took this extraordinary step despite the fact that plaintiffs did not seek relief for many years after mifepristone's original approval, waited nearly a year after the most recent FDA actions they seek to challenge, and then asked the court to defer any relief until after a final resolution of the case," the DOJ wrote.

The Justice Department described Kacsmaryk's order as "extraordinary and unprecedented."

Meanwhile, Danco characterized the Friday ruling as "an unprecedented judicial assault on a careful regulatory process that has served the public for decades." For more information, visit StyleMagazine.com.

HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ANNOUNCE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM FOCUSED ON SECONDARY EDUCATION

The program, Young Professionals University, returns for its 23rd year.

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

The Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals (HAULYP) announce the 23rd year of Young Professionals University (YPU), a college readiness and empowerment program for High School Students at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2023.

This one-day program aims to provide junior and senior-level high school students with information on trades and secondary education. Sessions will include entrepreneurship, the college admissions process, financial literacy, mental health, and public safety. Participants in YPU will also receive breakfast, lunch, and giveaway items.

“We are excited to bring another year of the Young Professionals University to Houston Area youth. The topics covered over the day not only provide students with tools to prepare them for college or careers after high school but valuable life skills,” said Jaelyn Lyles, a spokesperson with HAULYP.

YPU is presented in partnership with Houston City Council District D and Phillips66. Interested students can register eventbrite.com.

ABOUT HAULYP

The mission of The Houston Area Urban League Young Profession-

als (HAULYP) is to build a positive synergy that will advance activism in the community among young professionals under the age of 40. The Young Professionals are committed to supporting the objectives of the Urban League as it endeavors to improve the quality of life for people of color through economic and political awareness, community development, and real-world education.

As an auxiliary of the Houston Area Urban League, HAULYP engages young men and women in the movement toward the achievement of professional development, social and economic equality, and community service.

Through the hosting of public forums, presentations from guest speakers from Houston’s professional arena, developmental seminars, and outreach efforts benefiting adults and youth, HAULYP seeks to cultivate its membership by helping them grow participants professionally as well as civically.

EVENT: 2023 Young Professionals University

DATE: Saturday, April 29, 2023

TIME: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

LOCATION: Houston Community College – Central Campus (1300 Holman Street, Houston, TX, 77004)

REGISTRATION LINK: https://

www.eventbrite.com/e/young-professionals-university-ypu-tickets-559273310527

SESSION INFORMATION

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

“Like a Boss”, featuring Quentin and Vanessa Jiles. This breakout session features married millennial business owners who have tapped into the art of content creation, social media savviness and production, whose businesses collectively grossed a quarter of a million dollars in 2022. The Jiles' will discuss best practices for getting creative when starting a business or engaging in a trade after high school.

FINANCIAL LITERACY

“Securing the Bag” featuring Shelton Dotson. This session features a math whiz and financial planning expert that will dive into all things financial literacy, wealth building, and best practices for managing money as an adult. For more information, visit StyleMagazine.com.

TEXT & TEXTILE TWO-DAY SYMPOSIUM AND FASHION SHOW TSU STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND ALUMNI COORDINATE HISTORIC

TRANSDISCIPLINARY EVENT

Kathleen Coleman, Arts Editor

and Dr. Morolake Dairo’s “Unrabeling the Threads of the Biafran War: Costume Analysis in the Movie Half of a Yellow Sun.”

Texas Southern University Students, faculty and alumni in the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences announced a transdisciplinary event. This year, the theme of the Annual Billy Joe Turner Writing Symposium was Literature, Fashion, and the Media Arts. On April 20th and 21st, scholars from as far away as Serbia, Canada,

India, Nigeria, and Australia joined national and local academics to present papers and panel discussions.

Among the long list of interesting presentations was Beatrice Chagnon’s “Between Schein and Shein: Inhabiting Clothing to Inhabit the World in Ingeborg Bachmann’s Short Story ‘Problems Problems’”

At midday on April 20th, student and professional poets took the stage to perform compelling spoken-word selections. The line up consisted of eight (8) Improv poet’s, including Lakia “Kanei” Taylor. Her insightful, heart wrenching lyrics dazzled every symposium attendee and inspired students to showcase their own wordsmithing talents in the open mic presentation.

As a fitting culminating to the symposium presentation and workshops, faculty, alumni and students coordinated an unparalleled evening of fashion. The 2023 LIT Fashion Experience honored and promoted Texas Southern University’s historic

Fashion Design and Textile Technology Department. Headlining the show was Houston’s own Chasity Sereal. The couturier earned acclaim after her appearance on Season 10 of the groundbreaking television show Project Runway. Featuring 10 original, literature-inspired looks, Sereal captivated both the attention of fashionistas and the imaginations of aspiring designers in attendance. Other globally renowned expert designers graced the LIT Fashion runway, including the incomparable Toni Whitaker, Seven O’Keefe Jarmon, and wearable art curator Shirlette Thompson. The fashion festivities took place on the evening of Friday, April 21, at 6:30 pm with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Short theatrical and poetry presentations followed by the TSU Theatre Dept.

H 3rd Annual Iftar Dinner, A Success H

The Third Annual Iftar Dinner broke attendance records with more than 2300 guests that included those from the interfaith community, elected officials, and other guests The Pakistani American Business & Professional Association hosted the affair with the Islamic Society of Greater Houston and sereval community organizations. In addition to the dinner, event organizers hosted other events where they gave 10,000+ iftar meals to Pakistani families through a $20,000 donation. Some in attendance were Aftab Chaudhry, Pakistani Counsel General of Houston, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congresswoman Lessie Fletcher, Congressman Al Green, Constable Nabil Shike, Judge KP George, Judge Kali Morgan, District Clerk Beverley Walker, District Attorney Brian Middleton, Sheriff Eric Fagan, Rep. Ron Reynolds, Haroon Mughal, and Abenaa Bailey.

STEPHEN SILAS NOT RETURNING AS COACH OF HOUSTON ROCKETS

Rieken,

on Monday. He said Silas was hired to coach a completely different type of team.

“When he was hired, the Rockets still had Russell Westbrook and James Harden,” he said. “…The idea was that he would be coaching a team of veterans that were attempting to go deep in the post season, maybe even win a championship.”

had some veterans, but he was directed by upper management to not play those guys,” he said. “He was a little handicapped in his ability to do what he needed to do as a coach.”

Balke said it is being reported that there are about eight people considered to replace him.

likelihood and reflected on his time with the Rockets.

"I feel proud," he said. "I wanted to be a head coach my whole life.

Stephen Silas won't return as coach of the Houston Rockets next season.

Silas wrapped up his third season with the team when the Rockets beat the Wizards 114-109 to finish the season 22-60. That’s tied with the Spurs for the second-worst record in the NBA. His contract had a fourth-year option that the team is declining to pick up, according to the two people who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Jeff Balke writes for Houston Press and co-hosts the Bleav in Astros podcast and spoke to Houston Matters

Balke said that fell apart in Silas’ first season when Westbrook got traded, and Harden demanded a trade.

“Suddenly he found himself coaching a bunch of teenagers by year two,” Balke said. “I just don’t think he was the right guy for that job. He probably was the right guy for the job that called for working with veterans and keep that ship afloat and moving forward.”

Balke said Silas remains one of the better offensive minds in basketball, but his problem was that he was overmatched defensively, and he could not corral young players.

“Some of it was not his fault, he

“Most of them are assistant coaches or former head coaches,” he said. “The only one the list I’ve seen that is a current head coach is Nick Nurse from the Toronto Raptors.”

Moving forward, Balke said the Rockets will need veteran leadership.

“They need adults in the room more than anything,” he said. “You need balance of youth and experience in the room.”

Silas, speaking to reporters in Washington after the game was over, said he had a meeting with Rockets officials scheduled for Monday morning but did not confirm that his tenure as Houston’s head coach was over. However, he seemed prepared for that

I wanted to be like my dad. Proud of these guys, proud of their hard work, proud of their growth and maturity as they got through the season."

The Rockets finished with the NBA's worst record in each of his first two seasons as they traded or released all their established stars to embark on a complete rebuild.

Houston won four of its last five games, but it wasn't nearly enough to save the job of Silas, who joined the Rockets after spending 20 years with various NBA teams as an assistant coach and scout.

"There's been a lot of talk about my job for a long time, right? For a couple months," Silas said. "They just kept playing and kept working and trying hard and weren't worried about that. They were worried about getting better and playing hard for their coach.

The Rockets finished with the NBA’s worst record in each of his first two seasons as they traded or released all their established stars to embark on a complete rebuild.

By Kristie

Houston Public Media

Former Houston Rockets Coach Stephen Silas

HHouston Hispanic Chamber Luncheon

HHouston Style Magazine was an official sponsor for this year's Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Luncheon & Business Expo held on Friday, April 7, 2023, at the Hilton Americas - Downtown Houston. Dr. Laura Murillo, President and CEO of the Chamber, and her staff welcomed around 2,000 attendees - from small business owners, to corporate CEO's, elected officials, young professionals, and entrepreneurs. Jesse Thompson, Senior Business Economist, Houston Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, served as the Keynote Speaker and Dallas Cowboys Legend, Troy Aikman, was the special guest invitee. Others in attendance: Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Councilman Ed Pollard, County Attorney Christian Menefee, Chris Hollins, and many more.