Koch bought the Comets from Rockets owner Les Alexander in January 2007.
Hilton Koch sustained annual losses of over $4 million dollars and was unable to keep the team competitive.
Hilton Furniture won the Late Night battle of the ads contest, and O'Brien brought Hilton to New York to appear on Late Night as well as for "an advertiser makeover" from Foote, Cone & Belding.
During this remote, O'Brien met his future wife Liza Powel, who was a copywriter with FCB.
He attended Nicholls State University where he was president of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.