Hakeem Olajuwon is often regarded as one of the greatest centers to have played the game with arguably the most skilled footwork. His ability to dominate the low post at the offense and shot-blocking ability at the defensive end made him a lethal weapon.
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A No.1 overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets, Hakeem played in the league for 18 seasons. He achieved numerous accolades with the Rockets including two NBA championships, the 1994 MVP award, and two Defensive Player of the Year awards.
The ‘Dream‘ as he is commonly referred to, gathered huge respect from his teammates and opponents alike. Players who shared a locker room with Hakeem spoke highly of his personality, demeanor, work ethic, and leadership.
Hakeem Olajuwon had a better work ethic than Tim Duncan: Robert Horry
Robert Horry, a seven-time NBA champion, was fortunate to share the locker room with some of the best players to have played in the NBA. Hakeem Olajuwon and Tim Duncan were two such players he won championships with. Discussing the work ethic of players, here is what he had to say:
“Dream is 20 times better than Tim Duncan. I played with both. I know the work ethic of both so I’ve seen it live. Kobe is the best ever. I have been in the gym with both, I know what both brought to practice.”
‘Big Shot’ Bob went on to describe the training sessions with Olajuwon:
“His tenacity in the gym, you think he was mad during the game, he was even more mad during practice if the guys weren’t practicing hard if he felt like players are not putting forth the maximum effort.”
It is worth mentioning that both Hakeem and Tim were superstars in the league and entertained fans for decades with their basketball abilities. They have been the faces of their franchise and brought immense success with them.
Superstars reached out to Hakeem for advice
Hakeem’s stellar footwork on the court cannot be described in words. It left people ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘ahh-ing’ in the stands. His signature move called – ‘The Dream Shake’ has yet to be mastered by another player spanning decades. Robert spoke about superstars reaching out to Olajuwon to learn from him:
“What dream brought to the game is amazing. I don’t think people understand how good Olajuwon was. You should know how good he is when Lebron, Kobe go to him for advice on how to do his footwork. This guy’s footwork was some of the most amazing footwork you would ever see.”
Our generation has been blessed with some great basketball talent, but listening to veterans talk about the abilities of players like Hakeem Olajuwon has us longing for a time machine.
