"Hakeem treated him like a mop" - Charles Oakley recalls how Hakeem Olajuwon dominated Patrick Ewing in the Finals

As one of the most physical players in NBA history, former New York Knicks power forward Charles Oakley knew well if his teammates were being abused by a more dominant matchup. That said, Oak came clean about how Houston Rockets star center Hakeem Olajuwon manhandled his Knicks frontcourt tandem Patrick Ewing.

According to Oakley, "Dream" was really having his way with "Big Pat," especially during the 1994 NBA Finals. Charles even noted that the duels between the two Hall of Fame centers were so lopsided everybody would've felt bad for Ewing if it was a fist fight.

"If it was a fight, they would have stopped it between him and Patrick. If Hakeem and Patrick was a fight, they would've stopped it. Cause Hakeem was just treating him like a mop. Treated him like a mop. He was mopping the floor up. He ain't even let it dry, [he'd] just bob him up again," the 19-year NBA veteran said on Basketball News' The Posecast in 2021.

"I think Hakeem averaged 28 [points] and 10 [rebounds] and Patrick averaged 16 and eight. So, that was the difference right there," he added.

Pat was no Hakeem

Oakley played 10 seasons with Ewing in New York , and his praise of Olajuwon was not a dig at his former teammate. But while Oak acknowledged the Georgetown alum's remarkable skills and contributions to the game, he often expressed a greater admiration for Hakeem's game.

Charles believed that Olajuwon's unique combination of finesse, defensive prowess, and strength made him nearly unstoppable. However, Oakley reckoned that the Rockets legend's leadership qualities and winning mentality set him apart from Ewing by a mile. With that in mind, Oak thinks comparing "Big Pat" to Hakeem is unfair.

"He got all the accolades, Dream Team, All-Star, Top 50 player, and Patrick was good, but he was no Hakeem. Hakeem could carry the team and put the team on his back because he was so agile, and he was better. I think his IQ was better than Patrick's," Oakley once explained .

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Two of the greatest centers of all time

Regardless of what Oak thinks, fans will continue to compare Olajuwon and Ewing, as both centers left an indelible mark on their respective teams and on the game. Though Hakeem beats Pat in terms of accolades, having won two NBA championships and two NBA Finals MVP awards, they still sit in the same category as two of the greatest centers of all time.

As for the '94 Finals, "Dream" indeed got the better of "Big Pat," but the Knicks gave the Rockets a tough seven-game series at the time.

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