Hakeem Olajuwon

1.1. Childhood and Early Sports Activities

Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon was born on January 21, 1963, in Lagos, Nigeria, as the third of eight children to Salim and Abike Olajuwon. His parents were working-class Yoruba owners of a cement business. They instilled in him and his siblings strong virtues of hard work and discipline, emphasizing honesty, diligence, respect for elders, and self-belief. Olajuwon has expressed his displeasure at characterizations of his childhood in Nigeria as "backward," asserting that Lagos is a cosmopolitan city with diverse ethnic groups where he grew up in a multi-cultural environment.

During his youth, Olajuwon initially excelled in other sports before discovering basketball. He played as a goalkeeper in soccer, an experience he credits with developing the exceptional footwork and agility that would later balance his size and strength on the basketball court. This also significantly contributed to his superior shot-blocking ability. He also played handball. Olajuwon did not begin playing basketball until the age of 15, when he entered a local tournament while attending Muslim Teachers College in Lagos. Initially, he struggled with basic basketball skills, recalling a coach demonstrating a dunk by standing on a chair, and his own failed attempt to replicate it before being redirected not to use the chair. Despite these early difficulties, Olajuwon quickly realized basketball was his calling, remarking that "Basketball is something that is so unique. That immediately I pick up the game and, you know, realize that this is the life for me. All the other sports just become obsolete."

1.2. Immigration to the United States and Higher Education

In 1980, Olajuwon emigrated from Nigeria to the United States to pursue basketball and higher education at the University of Houston. His recruitment was not extensive; he was offered a visit to the university based on a recommendation from a friend of then-Cougars coach Guy Lewis who had observed Olajuwon play. He recalled that upon his arrival at the airport in 1980, no university representative was present to greet him, and when he called the staff, he was instructed to take a taxi to the campus.

At the University of Houston, Olajuwon pursued a degree in physical education, emphasizing the importance of his academic pursuits alongside his athletic development. His commitment to higher education was a significant priority.

2.1. University of Houston and "Phi Slama Jama"

After redshirting his freshman year in 1980-81 due to NCAA clearance issues, Olajuwon primarily played as the Cougars' sixth man during his redshirt freshman year in 1981-82. Averaging 8.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 60% from the field in just 18 minutes, he contributed to Houston's appearance in the NCAA Final Four, where they were eliminated by the eventual NCAA champion, North Carolina.

Seeking to increase his playing time and improve his game, Olajuwon sought advice from his coaches, who suggested he train with Moses Malone, then a center for the Houston Rockets and a multiple NBA MVP winner. Olajuwon joined Malone's off-season games with other NBA players at the Fonde Recreation Center. He credited this experience with rapidly enhancing his skills, stating, "The way Moses helped me is by being out there playing and allowing me to go against that level of competition. He was the best center in the NBA at the time, so I was trying to improve my game against the best."

Following that summer, Olajuwon emerged as a transformed player. He earned the nickname "the Dream" because his dunks were so effortless that his college coach remarked they "looked like a dream." He and his teammates, including future NBA star Clyde Drexler, formed the legendary "Phi Slama Jama" - the first slam-dunking "fraternity" - renowned for their dominant, above-the-rim playing style.

2.2. NCAA Tournament Success and NBA Draft

During his sophomore and junior years, Olajuwon played a pivotal role in leading the Cougars to consecutive NCAA championship games. In 1983, they lost to North Carolina State on a dramatic last-second tip-in. The following year, in 1984, they were defeated by a Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown team. In the 1982-83 season, Olajuwon averaged 13.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.1 blocks, and in 1983-84, he averaged 16.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 5.6 blocks.

Individually, Olajuwon received significant recognition. He was voted the NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1983 and was also named the Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year. In 1984, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American.

After the 1983-84 season, Olajuwon deliberated whether to remain in college or declare early for the NBA draft. At the time, before the NBA draft lottery was introduced in 1985, the first overall pick was determined by a coin flip. Olajuwon's intuition led him to believe that the Houston Rockets would win the coin flip and secure the first pick, and he expressed a strong desire to play in Houston. His prediction proved correct, as the coin toss awarded Houston the top pick over the Portland Trail Blazers. Consequently, Olajuwon was selected first overall by the Rockets in the 1984 NBA draft. This draft class is famously known for its immense talent, which also included future legends such as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton.

In his autobiography, Living the Dream, Olajuwon revealed an intriguing draft trade scenario that was offered to the Rockets by Portland: Clyde Drexler and the number two pick in the 1984 NBA draft in exchange for Ralph Sampson. Had the Rockets accepted this deal, Olajuwon speculated they could have drafted Jordan with the second pick to play alongside himself and Drexler, who already had established chemistry from their "Phi Slama Jama" days. Sportswriter Sam Smith commented that such a trade "would have changed league history and maybe the entire Michael Jordan legend." Notably, from 1991 to 1998, every NBA championship team included either Jordan or Olajuwon, and at least one of Drexler, Jordan, and Olajuwon was involved in every NBA Finals from 1990 to 1998.

3.1. Houston Rockets: Early Years (1984-1987)

The Houston Rockets experienced immediate success with Olajuwon's arrival. Their win-loss record dramatically improved from 29-53 in the 1983-84 NBA season to 48-34 in the 1984-85 NBA season. Olajuwon quickly formed a formidable duo with the 1984 Rookie of the Year, the 7 in tall Ralph Sampson, creating the original NBA "Twin Towers." In his rookie season, Olajuwon averaged 20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.68 blocks per game, shooting 53.8% from the field. He finished as runner-up to Michael Jordan in the 1985 Rookie of the Year voting, being the only other rookie to receive votes. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and participated in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game.

During his second professional season (1985-86), Olajuwon averaged 23.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game. The Rockets finished with a 51-31 record and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. In a surprising upset, the Rockets won the series four games to one. Olajuwon was particularly dominant, scoring 75 points across victories in games three and four. After the series, Lakers coach Pat Riley famously remarked, "We tried everything. We put four bodies on him. We helped from different angles. He's just a great player." The Rockets then reached the 1986 NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to the Boston Celtics, a team often considered one of the best in NBA history.

3.2. Growth as a Team Leader and Personal Development (1987-1993)

The dynamic of the "Twin Towers" began to change during the 1987-88 NBA season when Ralph Sampson, struggling with knee injuries, was traded to the Golden State Warriors. The 1988-89 NBA season marked Olajuwon's first full season as the Rockets' undisputed leader, coinciding with the hiring of new coach Don Chaney. The Rockets finished the regular season with a 45-37 record, and Olajuwon led the league in rebounds (13.5 per game) by a full rebound over Charles Barkley. He also maintained averages of 24.8 points and 3.4 blocks. Despite his individual performance, which included exceptional playoff numbers of 37.5 points and 16.8 rebounds per game and a record for points in a four-game playoff series (150), the Rockets were eliminated in the first round by the Seattle SuperSonics.

The 1989-90 NBA season was a disappointment for the Rockets, who finished 41-41 and were eliminated in four games by the Lakers in the playoffs. However, Olajuwon delivered one of the most productive defensive seasons by an interior player in NBA history. He won the NBA rebounding crown again (14.0 per game), this time by an even wider margin of two rebounds per game over David Robinson, and led the league in blocks with an average of 4.6 per game. He remains the only player since the NBA began recording blocked shots in 1973-74 NBA season to average over 14 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game in the same season, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton as the only players to lead the league in both categories in the same season. Olajuwon also recorded a quadruple-double during this season (March 29, 1990 against the Milwaukee Bucks), becoming only the third player in NBA history to achieve this rare feat.

In the 1990-91 NBA season, the Rockets finished 52-30 under NBA Coach of the Year Chaney. Olajuwon averaged 21.8 points per game, and despite missing 25 games due to an eye socket injury caused by an elbow from Bill Cartwright, he would have won the rebounding title for a third consecutive year with 13.8 rebounds per game if he had qualified. He also led the league with 3.95 blocks per game. However, the Rockets were swept by the Lakers in the playoffs.

The 1991-92 NBA season marked a low point for the Rockets, as they finished 42-40 and missed the playoffs for the first time in Olajuwon's career. He missed two weeks early in the season due to an accelerated heartbeat. Despite his strong individual numbers, the team's mediocrity led to growing frustrations. Olajuwon requested a trade after the season due to a contract dispute, as his salary was considerably low for a top center and his contract forbade renegotiation. He also expressed discontent with the organization's perceived lack of effort to surround him with quality players and its focus on the bottom line over winning. Management further angered Olajuwon during the season by accusing him of faking a hamstring injury due to his contract unhappiness. His agent described his differences with the organization as "irreconcilable," and Olajuwon publicly criticized owner Charlie Thomas and the front office. A reporter for the Houston Chronicle considered his departure "as close to a sure thing as there is."

However, a trade never materialized, and the Rockets began the 1992-93 NBA season under new coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Prior to the season, while traveling to Japan for a game, Olajuwon and owner Charlie Thomas resolved their differences. Olajuwon significantly improved his passing in 1992-93, setting a new career-high of 3.5 assists per game, which made it harder for opposing teams to double-team him and increased his scoring to a new career-high of 26.1 points per game. The Rockets achieved a new franchise record with 55 wins and advanced to the second round of the playoffs, pushing the Seattle SuperSonics to a hard-fought Game 7 overtime loss. Olajuwon finished second to Charles Barkley in the MVP voting, yet he was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the first time. The team rewarded him with a four-year contract extension towards the end of the regular season.

During his college career and early years in the NBA, Olajuwon was often undisciplined, frequently engaging in arguments with officials and other players, and accumulating technical fouls. However, during this mid-career period, he took an active interest in spirituality, becoming a more devout Muslim. On March 9, 1991, he formally changed the spelling of his name from Akeem to Hakeem, stating, "I'm not changing the spelling of my name, I'm correcting it." He dedicated himself to his faith, studying the Qur'an daily, even on airplanes and before and after games, stating, "I didn't dabble in the faith, I gave myself over to it." This commitment to Islam became a central aspect of his personal discipline, notably influencing his ability to maintain elite performance while observing Ramadan (abstaining from food and drink from dawn to sunset). In fact, he was sometimes noted for playing even better during Ramadan, earning the NBA Player of the Month award in February 1995, a month when Ramadan began.

3.3. MVP and Back-to-Back Championships (1993-1995)

Olajuwon cemented his reputation as a clutch performer and one of the greatest centers in history during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. He consistently outplayed formidable centers such as Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Dikembe Mutombo, as well as defensive specialists like Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone. A notable rivalry was with his fellow Texas-based rival David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs. In 30 head-to-head matchups during their prime from 1989 to 1996, Olajuwon averaged 26.3 points per game on 47.6% shooting, while Robinson averaged 22.1 points on 46.8%.

Olajuwon led the Rockets to their first championship in the 1994 NBA Finals in a grueling seven-game series against the New York Knicks, led by his collegiate rival, Patrick Ewing. After trailing 2-1, the Knicks took a 3-2 series lead into Game 6. With the Rockets holding an 86-84 lead in the final seconds, Knicks guard John Starks attempted what would have been a game and series-winning three-pointer. Olajuwon executed a crucial block as time expired, securing the victory. In Game 7, Olajuwon posted a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds, propelling the Rockets to their first professional sports championship in Houston since the Houston Oilers won the American Football League championship in 1961. Olajuwon dominated Ewing throughout the series, outscoring him in every game and averaging 26.9 points on 50% shooting compared to Ewing's 18.9 points on 36.3%. For his exceptional performance, Olajuwon was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

The 1994 season marked the pinnacle of Olajuwon's individual achievements. He became the only player in NBA history to win the MVP, the NBA Championship, the Finals MVP, and the Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season. He was also the first foreign-born player to win the league's MVP award.

Despite a slow start for the team and Olajuwon missing eight games late in the 1994-95 NBA season due to anemia, the Rockets repeated as champions in 1995. Their mid-season acquisition of Clyde Drexler, Olajuwon's former "Phi Slama Jama" teammate from the University of Houston, provided a significant boost. Olajuwon averaged 27.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game during the regular season. Olajuwon's playoff performance was arguably the most impressive of his career. In the Western Conference Finals, he decisively outplayed league MVP David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 35.3 points on 56.0% shooting compared to Robinson's 23.8 points on 44.9%. Olajuwon outscored Robinson 81-41 in the final two games of that series, recording 39 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the series-clinching game. When asked how to "solve" Olajuwon, Robinson famously told LIFE magazine: "Hakeem? You don't solve Hakeem." The Rockets won every road game in that series. In the 1995 NBA Finals, the Rockets swept the Orlando Magic, led by a young Shaquille O'Neal. Olajuwon outscored O'Neal in every game, averaging over 30 points and raising his regular-season production by five points per game, while O'Neal's output dropped. Olajuwon was again named Finals MVP, averaging 33.0 points on 53.1% shooting, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.81 blocks in the 1995 Playoffs. As in 1994, Olajuwon was the only Rockets All-Star.

3.4. Post-Championship Period (1995-2001)

The Rockets' two-year championship run concluded when they were eliminated in the second round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs by the eventual Western Conference Champion Seattle SuperSonics. Following Michael Jordan's return from an 18-month hiatus in March 1995, his Chicago Bulls dominated the league for the next three years (1996-98), though the Bulls and Rockets never met in the NBA Playoffs.

The Rockets aimed to rekindle their championship aspirations by adding Charles Barkley to their roster for the 1996-97 NBA season. The team started strong with a 21-2 record but ultimately lost the Western Conference Finals in six games to the Utah Jazz. Olajuwon's point production, which had been 26.9 and 23.2 points per game in 1995-96 and 1996-97 respectively, dipped to 16.4 in 1997-98. After the Rockets lost in the first round in five games to the Jazz in 1998, Drexler retired.

For the 1998-99 NBA season, which was shortened by a lockout, the Rockets acquired veteran All-Star Scottie Pippen. The team finished 31-19, and Olajuwon's scoring improved to 18.9 points per game, earning him his twelfth and final All-NBA Team selection. However, they once again lost in the first round, this time to the Lakers. Following this season, Pippen was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. Houston then began a rebuilding phase, bringing in young guards Cuttino Mobley and 2000 NBA co-Rookie of the Year Steve Francis.

3.5. Toronto Raptors and Retirement (2001-2002)

On August 2, 2001, after refusing a 13.00 M USD deal with the Rockets, Olajuwon was traded to the Toronto Raptors for draft picks in a three-year, 18.00 M USD contract. This move marked the end of his long tenure in Houston, where he had played for 20 consecutive seasons, encompassing both his collegiate and professional careers. In his first game with the Raptors, he scored 11 points in just 22 minutes against the Orlando Magic.

Olajuwon averaged career lows of 7.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in what would be his final NBA season. He ultimately decided to retire in the fall of 2002 due to a persistent back injury. Upon his retirement, Olajuwon stood as the league's all-time leader in total blocked shots with 3,830, a statistic that became official only in the 1973-74 NBA season. Shortly after his retirement, the Houston Rockets honored him by retiring his No. 34 jersey, recognizing his status as a Houston icon and one of the city's most beloved citizens. Over his 18-year NBA career, Olajuwon averaged 21.8 points on 51% shooting, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 3.1 blocks in 1,238 career games.

4.1. Offensive Skills: "The Dream Shake"

Olajuwon established himself as an unusually skilled offensive player for a "big man." He perfected a series of fakes and spin moves that became famously known as his trademark "Dream Shake." Executed with remarkable speed and power, these moves are still widely regarded as the pinnacle of "big man" footwork. Shaquille O'Neal famously commented on its complexity: "Hakeem has five moves, then four countermoves - that gives him 20 moves." Olajuwon himself attributed the genesis of the "Dream Shake" to his early days playing soccer. He explained its purpose: "The Dream Shake was actually one of my soccer moves which I translated to basketball. It would accomplish one of three things: one, to misdirect the opponent and make him go the opposite way; two, to freeze the opponent and leave him devastated in his tracks; three, to shake off the opponent and giving him no chance to contest the shot." Like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's sky-hook, the "Dream Shake" was exceptionally difficult to defend.

A particularly memorable instance of the "Dream Shake" occurred in Game 2 of the 1995 Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. With David Robinson guarding him, Olajuwon executed a cross-over, drove to the basket, and faked a layup. Robinson, an excellent defender and the 1995 NBA MVP, initially kept pace. However, Olajuwon then spun counterclockwise and faked a jump shot, causing Robinson to commit and jump to block. With Robinson in the air, Olajuwon performed an up-and-under move, making an easy layup.

Olajuwon often referred to basketball as a science, describing his signature move in intricate detail: "When the point guard throws me the ball, I jump to get the ball. But this jump is the set-up for the second move, the baseline move. I call it the 'touch landing.' The defender is waiting for me to come down because I jumped but I'm gone before I land. Defenders say 'Wow, he's quick,' but they don't know that where I'm going is predetermined. He's basing it on quickness, but the jump is to set him up. Before I come down, I make my move. When you jump, you turn as you land. Boom! The defender can't react because he's waiting for you to come down to defend you. Now, the first time when you showed that quickness, he has to react to that quickness, so you can fake baseline and go the other way with your jump hook. All this is part of the Dream Shake. The Dream Shake is you dribble and then you jump; now you don't have a pivot foot. When I dribble I move it so when I come here, I jump. By jumping, I don't have a pivot foot now. I can use either foot. I can go this way or this way. So he's frozen, he doesn't know which way I'm going to go. That is the shake. You put him in the mix and you jump stop and now you have choice of pivot foot. He doesn't know where you're gonna turn and when."

Beyond the "Dream Shake," Olajuwon possessed a soft shooting touch around the basket. He was a prolific scorer, averaging 21.8 points per game for his career, and an above-average offensive rebounder, averaging 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. He also developed into a skilled dribbler, capable of scoring from "face-up" situations like a perimeter player. He is one of only four players to have recorded a quadruple-double in the NBA, a statistic possible only since the 1973-74 season when blocked shots and steals were first recorded.

4.2. Defensive Prowess

Olajuwon was equally dominant on the defensive end of the court. His rare combination of quickness, agility, and strength allowed him to effectively guard a wide range of opponents, from power forwards to centers. He was particularly noted for his exceptional shot-blocking ability and his unique talent for a frontcourt player to steal the ball. Olajuwon is the only player in NBA history to record more than 200 blocks and 200 steals in the same season, a feat he achieved. He averaged 3.09 blocks and 1.75 steals per game for his career, and he is the only center to rank among the top ten all-time in steals.

Additionally, Olajuwon was an outstanding rebounder, with a career average of 11.1 rebounds per game. He led the NBA in rebounding twice, during the 1989 and 1990 seasons. His defensive impact was recognized through multiple accolades, including two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards and five selections to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In recognition of his enduring defensive legacy, the NBA renamed its Defensive Player of the Year award to "The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy" in 2022.

7.1. Business Ventures and Coaching

Olajuwon has achieved significant success in the Houston real estate market, with estimated profits exceeding 100.00 M USD. He conducts all his real estate purchases in cash, adhering to Islamic law which prohibits paying interest. He splits his time between Jordan, where he moved with his family to pursue Islamic studies, and his ranch near Houston.

In the 2006 NBA offseason, Olajuwon established his first "Big Man Camp," a program dedicated to teaching young frontcourt players the intricate techniques of post-play. Although he has never expressed interest in coaching an entire team, he is committed to giving back to the game by helping younger players. When asked about the league's increasing emphasis on perimeter play, Olajuwon asserted the enduring importance of a skilled big man: "For a big man who is just big, maybe. But not if you play with speed, with agility. It will always be a big man's game if the big man plays the right way. On defense, the big man can rebound and block shots. On offense, he draws double-teams and creates opportunities. He can add so much, make it easier for the entire team." He operates his camp for free.

Olajuwon has mentored numerous NBA players, including Emeka Okafor, Yao Ming, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Ömer Aşık, Donatas Motiejūnas, Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, JaVale McGee, and Kenneth Faried. In 2009, he worked specifically with Kobe Bryant on post moves and the "Dream Shake." In a 2016 interview, Olajuwon stated that Kobe Bryant was his best low-post student, remarking, "I've worked with a lot of players, but the one who really capitalized on it the most is Kobe Bryant. When I watch him play, he'll go down in the post comfortably, naturally, and he'll execute it perfectly."

7.2. Public Recognition and Honors

Olajuwon's legacy and impact on the sport have been widely recognized through numerous honors. As an icon of Houston and one of the city's most beloved citizens, his No. 34 jersey was officially retired by the Houston Rockets on November 9, 2002. On April 10, 2008, the Rockets further honored him by unveiling a sculpture in his likeness outside the Toyota Center arena.

He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2008. In 2013, Olajuwon made a special appearance at the 2013 NBA draft to bid farewell to retiring commissioner David Stern, as Olajuwon was the first pick announced by Stern back in the 1984 NBA draft. On August 1, 2015, he participated in the NBA Africa Game 2015 exhibition, representing Team Africa. He was also inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016. In 1996, Olajuwon was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and in October 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, reaffirming his status among the league's all-time greatest players. In 2022, The Athletic ranked Olajuwon as the 11th greatest player in NBA history.

9.1. NBA