Hakeem Olajuwon earned his reputation as one of the most skilled players in NBA history. He cemented himself as the most daunting matchup for centers during his prime, as he had a limitless skill set on offense while being an elite defender.
As a previous teammate of his, John Lucas II saw Hakeem up close. It was a fun time to be a Houston Rockets player because he got to see what Olajuwon was all about. He lived up to the hype of being the number one overall pick in the same 1984 Draft Michael Jordan was part of.
“He just had a yearning to get better and better. He practiced every day as if it was the last day. He brought a different intensity level to the game that only a few players could do,” Lucas said about his former teammate. “He has a jump hook, he has a fadeaway, he has his quick spins. You’re not gonna stop him by yourself.”
Hakeem was worth the hype
Before the 1984 Draft, Olajuwon stood out at the University of Houston. He did not start as a hot prospect early in his tenure there, but he worked hard to become the best version of himself. Hakeem benefited from playing in Houston because Rockets center Moses Malone took a liking to him and became his mentor .
Olajuwon was just a teenager when Moses began mentoring him, and Malone was tough on the young Nigerian center. The No. 1 pick had to adapt quickly as the legendary center's physical play, combining athleticism and strength, dominated opponents, even in practices. This challenging dynamic honed their skills, with Malone becoming more assertive in the NBA and The Dream evolving into an elite low-block player.
“He was very gentle when I first met him. But as soon as we started playing, he was not gentle at all,” Olajuwon said to GiveMeSport in 2018. “He was introducing me to American basketball by just being very physical, and I've never experienced that kind of contact in my whole life.”
During his rookie campaign in the 1984/85 season, Hakeem got overshadowed by Jordan, who won the Rookie of the Year award. However, Olajuwon took the league by storm, averaging 20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game. He cemented himself as a future superstar with his passionate approach to basketball, even though he got overshadowed by the high-flying Bull.
Related: Michael Jordan opens up about his older brother Larry not making the NBA: "He has always been a good player, but he just didn't grow enough"
Hakeem has a lasting legacy as a skilled center
After retiring from the game, Olajuwon became the go-to mentor for low-post offense. He became a player who helped the next generation, just like Moses taught him earlier in his career.
Kobe Bryant was the most prominent Hakeem's student . Even though he was not a center, he learned the footwork and implemented it into his high-post game, where he regularly hit turn-around fadeaway shots and outmaneuvered his opponents.
To this day, any center with a deep bag of post moves is compared to The Dream. Due to his skill set and attitude towards basketball, he is a certified legend and a top-tier center.
Related: "Ask David Robinson about Dream" - Sam Cassell on debating with Paul Pierce over Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Tim Duncan
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