Few players in NBA history have the gift of gab quite like Vernon Maxwell. The two-time champion enjoyed a remarkable career, most notably with the Houston Rockets, where he teamed up with the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon. Maxwell shared his experience of playing alongside “The Dream” on a recent episode of Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, starting by reflecting on his early years with Olajuwon.
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Maxwell, the 47th pick in the 1988 Draft, joined the Rockets two years later. Upon arrival, he quickly noticed that the entire team revolved around Olajuwon—and understandably so. After all, he was the No. 1 pick in the legendary 1984 class that also included Michael Jordan.
However, that dynamic didn’t last long, largely due to Olajuwon’s decision to convert to Islam. He even changed his name from “Akeem” to the now-familiar “Hakeem.” According to Maxwell, that decision ended up centering the Hall of Famer out.
“When he became Muslim, it was great man. I just knew at that time, when I saw him, look different, attitude was different, willing to share the ball with everybody,” said Vernon. “At first it was all about Dream, Dream, Dream getting his numbers and sh**. When he became Muslim, over that summer, we knew.”
The timeframe Maxwell was referring to was around 1993. The Rockets would go on to hoist the trophy in the 1994 and 1995 NBA Finals. But this wasn’t a surprise to Olajuwon, Maxwell, or anyone else in Houston. According to Maxwell, they already knew they had something special. “We knew we was gonna be special, and it was a special year for us,” he insisted.
Maxwell then spoke about the incredible feats Olajuwon accomplished during his dominant run. One thing he highlighted was the legendary center’s exceptional footwork, before emphasizing just how important that aspect of the game truly is.
“Just the feet work, man. It’s crazy. Everybody don’t understand in basketball, they think the game is played up here with your hands and your upper body. It’s played down here. You got to have good feet. You need good feet work to play the game of basketball. That’s what Dream had,” Vernon passionately stated. “Nobody couldn’t stop him,” he added. “He went on a tear for like five years. I mean sh**, he was MVP, nobody could stop him. That’s when he was at his best.”
Olajuwon is widely considered one of the greatest centers of all time, right up there with Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, David Robinson, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. That’s exactly where Vernon ranked him as well when Byron asked him to rate his former teammate. “Absolutely. That’s where I’m fitting to put him. He’s Top 5. Absolutely Top 5. Easily to me.”
Vernon wasn’t done there, though. He went on to reminisce about some of the magic Hakeem could create on the court, including his legendary shot from behind the backboard while falling out of bounds. “Falling out of bounds, shooting that b***h behind the backboard. How’d he make that sh**?” he asked. “He was literally behind the backboard and shoot that sh** behind the backboard.”
Maxwell and Olajuwon were lucky enough to ball together for five years in Houston. They became one of the more exciting teams of the 1990s, only overshadowed by the legendary Chicago Bulls team that featured Jordan. It’s a level of competitiveness and greatness that could only ever happen once.
Vernon isn’t alone in ranking Hakeem that high either. Shaq placed “The Dream” on his list of the Top 10 greatest players in NBA history. Not that Maxwell’s word doesn’t mean much, but when someone as famous as The Diesel puts you on the list, it means something.
