Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born Akeem Abdul Olajuwon on January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria) is a former professional basketball player whose glory days were with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association.

Listed at 7 ft (2.13 m), Hakeem is generally considered one of the five best centers to ever play the game, along with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O'Neal. He was affectionately called "Hakeem the Dream" for his grace on and off the court.

Basketball career

University of Houston and "Phi Slamma Jamma"

Coming from the Yoruba ethnicity of Nigeria, where he was born, Olajuwon traveled from Nigeria to play at the University of Houston, being teamates with Clyde Drexler to form what's called the Phi Slamma Jamma. He used the name "Akeem" on the back of his jersey, but later changed to "Hakeem".

Olajuwon helped the Cougars advanced to consecutive NCAA championship games, where they lost to North Carolina State in 1983 and Georgetown in 1984. Hakeem Olajuwon won the 1983 NCAA Tournament Player of the Year award, even though he played for the losing team in the final game. Olajuwon is to date the last player to win this feat, as the award almost always goes to a player from the champions. Drexler was drafted in 1983, leaving Olajuwon alone on the team.

He was considered the top amateur prospect in the summer of 1984 over fellow collegians and future NBA stars Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton, and was selected first overall by the Houston Rockets in the 1984 NBA Draft. In the days before the NBA Draft Lottery, first pick was awarded by coin flip, and a lucky toss placed Houston ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Houston Rockets

Twin Towers

The Rockets had immediate success during Olajuwon's rookie season as their record improved from 29-53 in 1983-84 to 48-34 in 1984-85. He teamed with the 1984 Rookie of the Year Ralph Sampson to form the original NBA "Twin Towers" duo. They took Houston to the Finals in 1986 where they succumbed to the Boston Celtics.

Olajuwon averaged 20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.68 blocks in his rookie season. He finished as runner-up to Michael Jordan in the 1985 Rookie of the Year voting, and was the only other rookie to receive any votes.

Mid-career

During the 1987-88 NBA season Sampson, who by the time was struggling with knee injuries that would eventually end his career prematurely, was traded. The 1988-89 season was Hakeem's first full season as the Rockets undisputed leader. This change also coincided with the hiring of new coach Don Chaney. The Rockets would finish 45-37 and lose in the first round of the playoffs 3-1 to the Seattle SuperSonics. Hakeem would finish the season as the league leader in rebounds (13.5 per game) by a full rebound per game over Charles Barkley to go along with averages of 24.8 points and 3.4 blocks.

The 1989-90 season was a disappointment for the Rockets. They would finish the season with a .500 record at 41-41, and though they snuck into the playoffs, they were eliminated in four games by the LA Lakers. Hakeem put up one of the greatest defensive seasons by an interior player in the history of the NBA. He again won the NBA rebounding crown (14.0 per game) this time by an even larger margin; a full 2 rebounds a game over David Robinson, and led the league in blocks by averaging an astounding 4.6 per game. To put that in perspective Hakeem is the only player since the NBA starting recording blocked shots in 1973-74 to have averaged 14+ rebounds a game and 4.5+ bpg in the same season.

The 1990-91 season saw a rebound in the Rockets record as they would finish 52-30 under NBA coach of the year Don Chaney. Hakeem averaged 21.8 points per game in 1990-91 but did not play in enough games (56) to qualify for the rebounding title or he would have won it for a third consecutive year as he averaged 13.8 a game (league Leader Robinson averaged 13.0 rpg). He did however average a league leading 3.95 blocks per game. Unfortunately the enthusiam from the Rockets resurgent season was seriously dampened by their playoff sweep at the hands of the LA Lakers.

The 1991-92 season was a low point for the Rockets during Hakeem's career. They would finish 42-40 and miss the playoffs for the first time in Hakeem's career. Despite his usual strong numbers Hakeem couldn't lift his team out of mediocrity. It was beginning to seem like a lifetime since Hakeem had played in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. The Rockets had made the playoffs 5 times since then but their record in those playoff series was 1-5 and they were eliminated in the first round 4 times.

The Rockets began the 1992-93 season with a new sense of optimism after a full training camp under Rudy Tomjanovich in his first full season with the team. Olajuwon set a new career high 3.5 assists per game. This willingness to pass the ball more actually increased his scoring as it made it harder for opposing teams to double and triple team him. Olajuwon set a new career high with 26.1 points per game to go along with his usual stellar rebounding and shotblocking. The Rockets set a new franchise record with 55 wins and advanced to the second round of the playoffs, pushing the Seattle Supersonics to a seventh game before losing in overtime 103-100. In stark contrast to the previous year the Rockets entered the 1993-94 season as a team on the rise. They had a good core of young players and tough veterans with a leader in Hakeem who seemed to be entering his prime.

Championship years

Olajuwon gained a reputation of being a great clutch performer and also as the greatest center of his generation based on his performances in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. He outplayed centers such as, Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo and O'Neal, and other defensive stalwarts like Dennis Rodman or Malone. His most difficult battles were with his I-10 rival David Robinson where Olajuwon would normally outplay Robinson in the stat sheets ^*. Their battles were fierce. While both players played for their respective Texan franchises, Olajuwon's Rockets were only 12-30 against Robinson's Spurs in 42 head-to-head games, but held the 4-2 advantage in the playoffs. From the 1989-90 season to the 1995-96 season, when both Olajuwon and Robinson were considered to be in their primes, in their 30 head-to-head matchups Olajuwon averaged 26.3 ppg, shooting 47.6% from the field. Robinson averaged 22.1 ppg, at 46.8% from the field.

Olajuwon's Rockets finally won the NBA championship in 1994, in an epic seven-game series against the New York Knicks, the team of one his perennial archenemies, Patrick Ewing. After five games, the Knicks had taken a 3-2 lead, when the Rockets defended a 86-84 lead in the final seconds of the game. In the last second, hot-shooting Knicks guard John Starks (who had scored 27 points until then) went up for a Finals-winning three, but Olajuwon pulled off one of the greatest clutch defensive plays of all time and blocked the shot. In Game 7, Olajuwon posted a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds, which helped overpower the Knicks ^*, bringing the first pro sports championships to Houston since the Houston Oilers won the American Football League championship in 1961. Olajuwon outscored Ewing in every game of the series and was named NBA Finals MVP.

Hakeem was at the pinnacle of his career. In that year, he became the only player in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Olajuwon's fame was well-deserved, as the Rockets team was probably one of the most lightly-loaded championship teams of all time. Neither the other starters (Robert Horry, Otis Thorpe, Vernon Maxwell and Kenny Smith) nor sixth man Sam Cassell were considered stars at the time, documented by the fact that Hakeem was the only Rockets All-Star player that year ^*.

The Rockets won the title again in 1995, led again by stellar play of Olajuwon. Most notoriously, in 1995, when the Rockets faced the San Antonio Spurs in the series, MVP-to-be Robinson was outplayed by Olajuwon, 35-24 PPG. Even his trusty lieutenant Rodman, a strong defender and one of the leading rebounders of his time, could not help him. Robinson told Life Magazine: "Hakeem? You don't solve Hakeem." The Rockets won every road game that series. In the NBA Finals, the Rockets swept the Orlando Magic, led by a young Shaquille O'Neal. The whole basketball world had waited for the matchup of the two great centers, and it was Olajuwon who outscored O'Neal 33-28 PPG. Hakeem scored 30+ points in every game, raising his own regular-season PPG rate by a full 5 points whereas O'Neal's production dropped by one ^*.

Post-championship period

The Rockets glory ended as Michael Jordan returned from a hiatus, and his Chicago Bulls dominated the league for the next three years (1996–98). However, the Bulls and Rockets never met in the NBA Playoffs. Due to the NBA playoff format, the Rockets, as members of the Western Conference, could not meet the Bulls, who were members of the Eastern Conference, in the playoffs before the championship round, the NBA Finals. The Rockets failed to reach that level after 1995, despite the efforts of Olajuwon, Drexler, Barkley and, later, former Bulls player Scottie Pippen.

Toronto Raptors

Houston began to rebuild, bringing in young guards Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis, the 2000 Co-Rookie of the Year. On August 8, 2001, Hakeem was traded to the Toronto Raptors for draft picks (the highest of which was used by Houston to draft Bostjan Nachbar at #15 in the 2002 NBA Draft), where he would play his final NBA season, averaging career lows of 7.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game before retiring as one of the greatest players of all time. Shortly after his retirement, his #34 jersey was retired by the Rockets.

Style of play

Offensively, Olajuwon established himself as great finesse player, perfecting a set of fakes and spin moves that became known as his trademark Dream Shake. Adding to dazzling footwork was a soft touch around the basket. He developed intense rivalries with some of the other great centers of that era, especially Patrick Ewing and David Robinson, as well as his openly hated rival Karl Malone.

Since shot blocking became an official stat in the 1973-74 NBA season, Olajuwon is the all-time league leader in total blocked shots with 3,830.

Muslim faith

In Olajuwon's college career and early years in the NBA, he was often undisciplined, talking back to officials, getting in minor fights with other players such as Magic Johnson, and amassing personal fouls. Olajuwon took an active interest in spirituality, becoming a devout Muslim. In March 9, 1991, he altered his name to the proper Arabic spelling, saying, "I'm not changing the spelling of my name, I'm correcting it". Olajuwon was still recognized as one of the league's elite centers despite his strict observance (e.g., fasting during daylight hours) of Ramadan, which occurred during the NBA season during virtually all of his career and is usually a handicap for Muslim athletes. While he had an excuse accepted by the Koran for being able to replenish fluids during pre-sunset games, he still refrained from drinking water during games before sundown. He also gained recognition for his sportsmanship and his charitable pursuits. He speaks several languages and displays an appreciation of fine art.

Accolades

2x NBA champion (1994, '95)
2x NBA Finals MVP (1994, '95)
1x NBA MVP (1994)
2x Defensive Player of Year (1993, '94)
6x All-NBA First Team (1987, '88, '89, '93, '94, '97)
3x All-NBA Second Team ('86, '90, '96)
3x All-NBA Third Team (1991, '95, '99)
5x All-Defensive First Team ('87, '88, '90, '93, '94)
12x All-Star
Olympic gold medalist (1996)
One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)
Only player in NBA history to have won MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season (1994)
One of the 4 players in NBA history to have ever recorded a quadruple-double.
Olajuwon also won the rebounding and blocked shots titles, becoming the third player ever (after Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton) to lead the league in both categories during the same season.
All-time leader in blocked shots, well past second-placed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. (note: the NBA did not keep statistics for blocked shots until Abdul-Jabbar had been in the league several years).
Olajuwon is also in the top ten in blocks, scoring, rebounding, and steals. He is the only player in NBA history placed in the top ten for all four categories.
Olajuwon ranks all-time 7th in steals and is by far the highest ranked center. (note that that statistic was not noted until the early 70s) ^*

Player profile

Hakeem was arguably one of the most lethal two-way players ever. He played smothering defense (he was a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner) and abused opponents with his incredible shot-blocking ability, averaging 3.09 blocks per game in his career. Olajuwon was also quick enough to defend guards at the perimeter in clutch situations (as John Starks experienced, see above) and was also an excellent ball-thief, averaging 1.75 steals per game in his career. Olajuwon was also a terrific rebounder, averaging 11.0 boards.

On offense, Hakeem was famous for his soft touch around the basket and his legendary footwork combined with a vast array of fake moves, highlighted in his signature Dream Shake (see below). He was a prolific scorer, averaging 21.8 points in his career, and a feared offensive rebounder, averaging 3.3 offensive boards his career. Beyond this, Olajuwon could "put the ball on the floor" and dribble with guard-like quickness. Against the New York Knicks, Olajuwon was being defended by Patrick Ewing, but put the ball on the floor with one dribble wide to the right, spun around to the left, leaving Ewing standing up, and dunked on the Knick. In addition, Olajuwon was also known as a very good clutch player, regularly stepping up his game in the playoffs and being a two-time NBA Finals MVP.

Beyond his raw ability, Olajuwon was constantly evolving his game. While he entered the game as an inside post player and above the rim player, he developed range out to 20 feet and even could reliably hit 3 point shots if he so desired.

Dream Shake

Olajuwon was known for his Dream Shake, a set of faking and spinning moves in the post. Executed with uncanny speed and power, they are still regarded as the pinnacle of "big man" footwork. Shaquille O'Neal stated: "Hakeem has five moves and four countermoves, that gives him 20 moves." ^* The Dream Shake made Hakeem near-unguardable for most of his career, because "big men" were too slow and guards too weak to stop him.

The Dream Shake was extremely difficult to defend, much like the sky hook of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Dream Shake's closest modern equivalent comes from Kevin Garnett, whose moves have less variety and include some perimeter action.

One particularly notorious Dream Shake came in the 1995 Western Conference playoff series against rival David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs, who would be voted the season MVP. With Robinson guarding him, Olajuwon drove to the basket from the left side and faked a layup, causing Robinson to stand planted, and then faked another layup. Robinson took the bait and jumped up as high as he could, getting caught completely prone in the air as Hakeem blew past him, scoring an easy basket. ^*

Trivia

In his youth, Hakeem was an avid soccer player. It is believed it is one of the reasons for his incredible nimble-footedness. ^*
Although Olajuwon played with a number 34 all his NBA career, he had a time where he chose the number 35 during his college days.
He was noted as a prankster by his teammates.
"Olajuwon" translates to "Superior Wealth" in Yoruba.
In 1987, Hakeem Olajuwon had 38 points, 17 rebounds, 12 blocks, 7 steals, and 6 assists for the Houston Rockets in a double-overtime win over the Seattle SuperSonics, becoming one of the few players to register at least 6 points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals in a single game.
In addition to English, Olajuwon speaks French, Arabic, and the Nigerian languages of Yoruba, Igbo and Ekiti.
Hakeem Olajuwon has a daughter called Abi Olajuwon. She represented the West Girls in the McDonalds All American Game
Hakeem is one of the very few known players in any professional sport to endorse a sneaker not from Nike, Reebok, Adidas, or other high retail brands. In fact, Hakeem endorsed a sneaker made by Spalding which retailed for $35 compared to some sneakers that can retail for $150-$200. As Olajuwon declared: "How can a poor working mother with three boys buy Nikes or Reeboks that cost $120?" he asks. "She can't. So kids steal these shoes from stores and from other kids. Sometimes they kill for them."^*

External links

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