More than two decades have passed since the Houston Comets last cut down the nets, yet the echoes of their dynasty still shape the city’s basketball identity.

Van Chancellor, the Hall of Fame coach who led the Comets to four straight championships from 1997 to 2000, says reminders of that golden era follow him everywhere he goes.

“I don’t go anywhere in this town where I don’t hear about the Comets,” Chancellor told the Houston Chronicle. “And now, all I hear is, ‘Hey, can we get a team back?’”

Chancellor, 82, was enshrined this week into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame, a fitting honor for the coach who guided one of the most dominant teams in women’s basketball history. The ceremony came at a moment when the push to bring the WNBA back to Houston has regained momentum.

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta recently led a bid to secure an expansion franchise for the city, though that effort fell short when the league awarded new teams to Philadelphia, Detroit and Cleveland. Still, Houston remains in the mix. According to the Chronicle, a Fertitta-backed group is exploring a bid to purchase the Connecticut Sun, which could eventually relocate and rebrand as the Comets by 2027 or 2028.

Chancellor says the memories of packed houses at the old Compaq Center — now Lakewood Church — are still fresh. The roar of those sellout crowds, he believes, could return in an instant.

“This city deserves a team. We will support a team,” Chancellor said. “This city right now would sell 10,000 tickets overnight.”

For Cynthia Cooper, the Hall of Famer who led Houston to all four of its titles and captured Finals MVP honors each time, the possibility of a revival brings both excitement and questions.

“I don’t know about Toyota Center,” Cooper told the Chronicle. “It might be a little too big for a WNBA franchise except when Caitlin Clark or Angel Reese come to town. But I know the Houston Rockets and Fertitta, they have the expertise in place to choose the correct venue.”

Cooper noted that attendance began to dip in the Comets’ later years, falling from over 12,000 per game in 2000 to roughly half that figure by 2008. She believes the right arena setup and community engagement would be crucial if the franchise returns.

Even with those logistical hurdles, Cooper said Houston’s infrastructure and basketball culture make it one of the league’s most attractive landing spots. The Rockets’ state-of-the-art practice facility and Fertitta’s financial backing, she added, could provide the foundation for a modern contender.

Cooper called the timing ideal, citing the sport’s surging popularity and the city’s appetite for another winner.

“The city of Houston rallies around their champions,” she said. “That’s just how it is. If we can get a winning team, I know the Comets will take off in this city.”