HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The Houston Comets were WNBA champions for four years in a row.

It was a team that drew large crowds, filling arenas with screaming fans. It was also a roster of stars, and a franchise built by winners.

And the man behind that league’s first dynasty was their former head coach, Van Chancellor, who called the shots for 10 years.

“We couldn’t go anywhere in the city without our fan base just loving us. It was a wonderful thing,” Chancellor said.

Nearly two decades later, pieces of the franchise still live inside his home, lining the stairs, each step a walk down memory lane.

“This is a picture of the big three and I after the 3-peat, and that was a wonderful time,” Chancellor said.

After the team was put up for sale, the league ultimately folded the franchise in 2008 due to financial struggles, forcing Chancellor to say goodbye to a team he helped build from the ground up.

“I cried. I didn’t want Houston to lose the Comets,” he said.

While the city lost an WNBA team, Chancellor says he never lost hope.

“I knew we were going to do it. (Tillman Fertitta) was willing to fund it. That was the big thing,” he said.

Rockets owner Fertitta bought the Connecticut Sun, and according to ABC13’s sister network, ESPN, the franchise is expected to bring back the Comets’ name.

RELATED: Fertitta family buys Connecticut Sun, paving way for WNBA team to come back to Houston: ESPN sources

But this time, instead of being on the court, Chancellor will be with fans watching the revival of the franchise he helped start.

“I have no doubt in my mind I’ll be there. Yeah, I’ll be there. That’s a given,” he said.

And the Sun will still play their 2026 season at home, so the new team won’t be here until 2027.

For updates, follow Mo Haider on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Copyright © 2026 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.