Olajuwon established himself as an unusually skilled offensive player for a big man, perfecting a set of fakes and spin moves that became known as his trademark Dream Shake. That immediately I pick up the game and, you know, realize that this is the life for me. Hakeem Olajuwon was born to Salim and Abike Olajuwon, working class Yoruba owners of a cement business in Lagos, Nigeria. After averaging 26.9 and 23.2 points in 1995–96 and 1996–97 respectively, Olajuwon's point production dipped to 16.4 in 1997–98. [9] Olajuwon did not play basketball until the age of 15 in high school, when he entered a local tournament while at the Muslim Teachers College in Lagos, Nigeria. Right, Born: [42], On December 1, 1994, Olajuwon recorded a triple-double 37 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in a 113–109 win over the Golden State Warriors. On August 2, 2001,[52] after refusing a $13 million deal with the Rockets, Olajuwon was traded to the Toronto Raptors for draft picks (the highest of which was used by Houston to draft Boštjan Nachbar at #15 in the 2002 NBA draft), with the player having a three-year contract that would give him $18 million. I dribble so now I can use either foot. Olajuwon was at the pinnacle of his career. [80] In the 2011 offseason, LeBron James flew to Houston and spent time working with Olajuwon. The Village varsity basketball team won Friday's away conference game against St. John XXIII (Katy, TX) by a score of 69-60. It leaves out a lot of people. They were bolstered in part by the acquisition of Clyde Drexler, Olajuwon's former University of Houston "Phi Slama Jama" teammate, in a mid-season trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. [29] He also expressed displeasure with the organization's efforts to surround him with quality players. [79] More recently he has been working with Dwight Howard, helping him diversify his post moves and encouraging more mental focus. The Village varsity basketball team won Saturday's neutral tournament game against Fort Bend Christian Academy (Sugar Land, TX) by a score of 74-65. [36] The team rewarded him with a four-year contract extension toward the end of the regular season. He was the best center in the NBA at the time, so I was trying to improve my game against the best."[8]. College: Houston. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about center Hakeem Olajuwon on ESPN. Wagner headline sons of current and former NBA stars set to make an impact in high school basketball next season. In doing so he joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton as the only players in NBA history (at that point) to lead the league in rebounding and shot-blocking in the same season. As Olajuwon declared: "How can a poor working mother with three boys buy Nikes or Reeboks that cost $120? Box Score, Bronny James, D.J. He's basing it on quickness, but the jump is to set him up. Abisola represented the West Girls in the McDonald's All-American Game and played in the WNBA. [6][7] He was the third of eight children. [74] Olajuwon splits his time between Jordan, where he moved with his family to pursue Islamic studies,[9] and his ranch near Houston. 1963 All the other sports just become obsolete. Executed with uncanny speed and power, they are still regarded as the pinnacle of "big man" footwork. [51] After the season, Pippen was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. They had a solid core of young players and veterans, with a leader in Olajuwon who was entering his prime. He can add so much, make it easier for the entire team." [38] In the 30 head–to–head match-ups during the seven seasons from the 1989 to 1996, when both Olajuwon and Robinson were in their prime, Olajuwon averaged 26.3 points per game, shooting 47.6% from the field, while Robinson averaged 22.1 and 46.8%. Olajuwon was ineligible for selection to the "Dream Team" as he hadn't become a US citizen.[56]. During his 18-year NBA career, Olajuwon earned more than $110 million in salary. The team went on to win the gold medal in Atlanta. During the tournament, he shared his minutes with Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson. Growing up there and later in the UK, Abdullah didn’t initially show much interest in basketball; the sport wasn’t as widely appreciated in that region. Olajuwon played for 20 consecutive seasons in Houston, first collegiately for the University of Houston Cougars and then professionally with the Houston Rockets. Shot location data available for the 1996-97 through 2019-20 seasons. [23] This willingness to pass the ball increased his scoring, making it more difficult for opposing teams to double and triple-team him. [56] FIBA rules prohibit players from representing more than one country in international competition, and players must go through a three-year waiting period for any nationality change. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. [37] In stark contrast to the previous year, the Rockets entered the 1993–94 season as a team on the rise. Click Season link for player's season game log, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history. It will always be a big man's game if the big man plays the right way. [10], Despite early struggles, Olajuwon said: "Basketball is something that is so unique. In case you were wondering this is indeed the eldest son of the basketball legend and HOF Hakeem Olajuwon. "[8], During his youth, Olajuwon was a soccer goalkeeper, which helped give him the footwork and agility to balance his size and strength in basketball, and also contributed to his shot-blocking ability. The two led the Rockets to the 1986 NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to the Boston Celtics. Olajuwon dominated Ewing in their head–to–head match-up, outscoring him in every game of the series and averaging 26.9 points per game on 50% shooting, compared to Ewing's 18.9 and 36.3%. Houston Rockets, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1984 NBA Draft, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2008 (Full List), More Hakeem Olajuwon pages at Sports Reference. [53] Olajuwon averaged career lows of 7.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in what would be his final season in the NBA, as he decided to retire in the fall of 2002, due to a back injury. Otherwise he would have won it for a third consecutive year, averaging 13.8 a game (league leader Robinson averaged 13.0 rpg). So he's frozen, he doesn't know which way I'm going to go. in Lagos, Nigeria Olajuwon improved his passing in 1992–93,[35] setting a new career high of 3.5 assists per game. He is, to date, the last player from a losing side to be granted this honor. He led the league in rebounding twice (1989, 1990) and blocks three times (1990, 1991, 1993). Olajuwon's scoring production rose to 18.9 points per game,[23] and he made his twelfth and final All-NBA Team. [73] Olajuwon has had great success in the Houston real estate market, with his estimated profits exceeding $100 million. Olajuwon was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the first overall selection of the 1984 NBA draft, a draft that included Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. Despite very nearly being traded during a bitter contract dispute before the 1992–93 season, he remained in Houston where in 1993–94, he became the only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards in the same season. Olajuwon led the Rockets to a championship in the 1994 NBA Finals in a seven-game series against the New York Knicks, the team of one of Olajuwon's perennial rivals since his collegiate days, Patrick Ewing. Are you a Stathead, too? Olajuwon spun counterclockwise and faked a jump shot. Olajuwon was highly skilled as both an offensive and defensive player. [81][82] Olajuwon has also worked with Ömer Aşık, Donatas Motiejūnas, Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, JaVale McGee and Kenneth Faried. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade and Hakeem Olajuwon all have sons making their own name in the hoops scene. We present them here for purely educational purposes. 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. Olajuwon gained a reputation as a clutch performer and also as one of the top centers in history based on his performances in the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons. [2] He outplayed centers such as Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Dikembe Mutombo, and other defensive stalwarts such as Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone. By jumping, I don't have a pivot foot now. During the 1987–88 season, Sampson (who was struggling with knee injuries that would eventually end his career prematurely) was traded to the Golden State Warriors. He always made great decisions on the court. [47] Olajuwon was again named Finals MVP. "[Abdullah] is 15, if he doesn't come now, he won't really get a chance to catch up," Hakeem said. He credits his parents with instilling virtues of hard work and discipline into him and his siblings; "They taught us to be honest, work hard, respect our elders, and believe in ourselves". They finished 42–40,[19] and missed the playoffs for the first time in Olajuwon's career. ... She can't. Abdullah olajuwon. [23] Olajuwon posted exceptional playoff numbers of 37.5 ppg and 16.8 rpg, plus a record for points in a four-game playoff series (150). When you jump, you turn as you land. When asked whether the league was becoming more guard-oriented and big men were being de-emphasized, Olajuwon responded, "For a big man who is just big, maybe.
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