Every player that ever became an All-Time great in the NBA, had to work it's tail off to get to that level. Talent will get you picked high in the Draft, but you need to improve in every aspect of the game so you can lead your team to a championship one day.
Even though when you look at Hakeem Olajuwon 's highlights with his unbelievable post moves and "dream-shakes," it seems like he was just born with those abilities, even he had to learn his craft.
Olajuwon's great mentor
Before Hakeem became "The Dream," he was a talented center but needed some time to learn the tricks of the trade. Surrounding yourself with good people is key in that situation, and Olajuwon had a hell of a mentor when he first got to Houston.
According to Stan Albeck, an NBA coach for over 30 years, Moses Malone was responsible for teaching and honing Hakeem's skills on the lowblock. Albeck said the two had endless practice sessions together, and for this, Moses deserves proper recognition.
"Moses taught him the inside moves off the pivot and played him in a lot of one-on-ones," said Stan, per the New York Times. "The guy has a tremendous knack for knowing where the ball is going on a missed shot. That's something Malone doesn't get credit for."
Related: Julius Erving believes no player is similar to him in the modern NBA: “I was a small forward, but I really played like a power forward”
Sessions with Moses
Their practice sessions started ahead of Olajuwon's sophomore year at the University of Houston. Around that time, "The Chairman of the Boards" was holding summer camps. These programs had drills and scrimmages, and they also featured one-on-one duels.
"The Dream" clarified that Malone did not necessarily give him one-on-one tutorials. Rather, he picked up lessons from the 1985 NBA Champion by going toe-to-toe with him.
"We just played each other," Olajuwon recalled. "You can't help but learn. People have it wrong. He did not come in and teach me. He was a pro and I was a freshman in college. We played against each other. He was a good offensive rebounder, and I had to block him out. Experience is the best way to learn."
Being under Malone's wing early became critical for Hakeem's success. Right out of the gates, Olajuwon averaged 20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks for the Rockets.
His numbers constantly improved over the years, and in 1994 and 1995, he guided his team to back-to-back titles. He may have won one more title than Moses, but we cannot discount Big Mo's role in his success. The fact that Moses is in the Hall of Fame, like Hakeem, speaks for itself.
Related: "Hakeem had seven moves on each block" - Shaquille O'Neal on why Hakeem Olajuwon always torched him
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