Former Rockets point guard Steve “The Franchise” Francis seems to be downsizing in Houston. The three-time All-Star recently bought a 5,300-square-foot pad in the suburb of Sugar Land and also listed his palatial estate a little closer to the city for $4.995 million.
Details of his new place are limited, but the old one offers plenty to look at. Across 10,000 square feet, the amenity-loaded mansion boasts a wine cellar, game room, two-story library and movie theater, as well as a swimming pool and basketball court outside.
A trio of front-facing balconies hang off the exterior, which opens to a voluminous foyer full of wrought-iron accents. Tile floors, rich moldings and crisp white walls mark the living spaces.
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The living room is lined with columns and French doors, and farther in there’s a spacious kitchen and formal dining room with a stone fireplace. The main-level master suite — one of five bedrooms and nine bathrooms — comes complete with three custom closets.
Outside, a cabana covers an outdoor kitchen. The grounds total nearly an acre. That’s roughly thrice the size of his new property, but that one’s a bit more recent; records show it was built three years ago, while the one on the market was constructed in 2002.
Francis, 42, spent a decade in the NBA, playing for the Rockets, Orlando Magic and New York Knicks before ending his career with the Beijing Ducks in China. In addition to being named NBA rookie of the year in 2000, the flashy point guard played in three straight All-Star games from 2002 to 2004.
Marilyn Martinez of Beth Wolff Realtors holds the listing.