NBA analysts and pundits professing their hot takes when it comes to comparing current players to the past is a daily occurrence. But rarely do we see an NBA coach give us one. That’s exactly what happened when Rick Carlisle compared Evan Mobley’s defense to Hakeem Olajuwon. This forced Kenny Smith to come to his former teammate’s defense.
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Smith of Inside the NBA played alongside Hakeem for six seasons with the Houston Rockets. The two experienced a ton of success together, claiming back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and ‘95. Over the years, Smith has constantly praised Olajuwon for overabundance of talent on both ends of the floor.
That’s why when Head Coach of the Pacers Rick Carlisle compared Evan Mobley to Hakeem, Smith had to do a double-take on what he had just heard.
“Mobley’s a great player. He’s a Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s an all-star,” Carlisle expressed after the game. “It’s like bringing Hakeem Olajuwon back to the Houston Rockets. He’s a great player.”
“It’s a stretch,” Smith responded on Inside the NBA. “Mobley has been, defensively, an anchor. But, no. There’s differences. I’ll just leave it at that.”
You could tell that Smith was holding back on what he truly wanted to say. He looked ready to go on a tirade in defense of one of the greats. But he subdued himself.
Smith was completely valid in being shocked at the comparison between Mobley and Olajuwon, though. Sure, maybe the two’s defensive prowess is comparable, but Hakeem’s legacy stands on more than just defense. He was also an exceptional offensive player with the ability to command a game.
Olajuwon was breaking stat lines in the NBA long before the likes of Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic. During his playing days, he recorded a quadruple-double with points, rebounds, assists, and blocks. Hakeem also logged a 5×5 performance with the same stats but including steals.
It should go without saying, but Mobley has a lot more that he needs to show us in order to be compared to Olajuwon. Even defensively, the young star still hasn’t lived up to Hakeem’s legacy.
Smith on Olajuwon’s Defense
As more time passes from the 90s era of the NBA, people forget how elite an era it was for defensive players. Olajuwon was perhaps the most threatening defensive player of that time. And Smith thinks that he would even be able to hold his own against the players of today.
“He would be unbelievable in today’s game because he could switch 1 to 5,” Smith pointed out on The Draymond Green Show. “Guy comes off the pick, oh, he’s moving his feet. And if you throw the lob, he’s going back to still try to contest the lob. I have never seen a player that could double in the pick and roll, and get back to his man on the roll and still block the shot.”
Smith would go on to say that a player like Hakeem today would be a 6-foot-10-inch Draymond Green with the athleticism of Blake Griffin. This got Draymond perked up in his seat and smirking just imagining what it would be like to have such a skillset.
At the end of the day, the players of today’s generation are perhaps the best we’ve ever seen. But that doesn’t mean that players in prior eras wouldn’t be able to hold their own and still dominate today. Especially the stars like Olajuwon. Remember, respect your elders. Even when it comes to the NBA.
