Michael Jordan got blocked by Hakeem Olajuwon and subsequently dunked on him in the same game between the Bulls and the Rockets.
Advertisement
It doesn’t get any gutsier than Michael Jordan taking on perhaps the greatest defender in the history of the league inside of the paint. Bill Russell may have something to say about that proclamation but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the Rockets icon was just as good on defense as he was on the offensive end of the floor, if not better.
Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon; though they do not share a similar position on the court in the slightest, are usually compared to one another as they were drafted together in 1984. Hakeem was chosen with the first overall pick (a no-brainer at the time) and Jordan with the 3rd.
The two 80s/90s goliaths squared off 23 times against one another on NBA hardwood, with ‘The Dream’ winning 13 of those matchups.in terms of what they brought to the table, they both performed quite well against one another too.
Jordan averaged 30.8 points, 5.4 assists, and 3 steals in those 23 games while Hakeem had 21.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks game.
Michael Jordan dunks on Hakeem after being blocked by him earlier in the game.
A matchup between the Chicago Bulls and the Houston Rockets in 1996 brought about a moment where Michael Jordan challenged Olajuwon at the rim early on in the game. The latter held his own and get enough of the ball to swat it back into play.
Knowing ‘His Airness’ however, he wasn’t one to back down. Later on in the game, Michael would catch Clyde Drexler sleeping on defense on the left wing, leaving him wide open for an alley-oop dunk all over Olajuwon.
Kudos to the 2x Finals MVP for trying to challenge the alley-oop however as he could’ve been a defensive factor in the play if he gained more elevation.
