Hakeem Olajuwon carved out a Hall of Fame career with exceptional post moves and footwork that even Michael Jordan feared.
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Hakeem Olajuwon is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA centers of all time. The two-time Finals MVP is regarded as one of the most versatile players to ever grace the NBA hardwood, as he could take on bigger bigs in the post with his nifty footwork or take players off the dribble from near the arc.
It’s safe to say that the former number one overall pick was a dominant force in the league, and he did so with grace. Olajuwon had a spectacular NBA career by any standard. He played nearly his entire 18-year career for the Houston Rockets.
He made 12 All-Star teams, and 12 All-NBA teams, won an MVP award, and was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year along the way. Hakeem also led the Rockets to back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995, earning two Finals MVP awards in the process.
Olajuwon has continued to impress even after leaving the league, albeit in a different arena. He’s not dominating the basketball court, but he’s dominating the real estate world.
Through various smartly planned acquisitions and a robust property portfolio, Hakeem has amassed a whopping $300 million net worth. His fortune is also the envy of a great many rivals.
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Michael Jordan was terrified of Hakeem Olajuwon’s incredible skillset and footwork
Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. He is regarded as one of the GOATs in basketball and beyond due to his dominance in the 1990s. Jordan was one of the most difficult players to guard during his prime. Although MJ dominated the league, there were a few players who gave him a run for his money.
Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets is one of them. He is widely regarded as one of the best centers of all time, standing at an incredible 7′ 0′′.
Olajuwon’s patented “Dream Shake” and an arsenal of moves on the low block left one or two opposing big men looking for their dignity.
The Dream’s footwork had many centers perplexed. Defenders were convincingly up-faked into the air by him. Even strong defensive players like David Robinson couldn’t avoid appearing on highlight reels.
Surprisingly, Olajuwon was always effective against the Bulls. Former Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich revealed in an interview that Jordan mentioned the team. According to MJ, the Rockets gave him and the Bulls the most trouble.
Olajuwon had 14 double-doubles against Jordan, demonstrating why His Airness found him so difficult to play against. Surprisingly, Olajuwon has the upper hand over Jordan.
In the 23 games played between them, the Rockets legend has 13 wins to Jordan’s ten. With a documentary on the Rockets set to release soon, we have firmly set our sights on it. Who do you think was better in their prime?
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