WWE legend Mark William Calaway, a.k.a The Undertaker, has been there and done everything, including the popular narrative of returning from the casket to beat rivals inside the squared circle. Well, he has played basketball too. That too, pick-up games with NBA legends. And, when he played as Hakeem Olajuwon’s teammate, the wrestler even had an assist with the superstar.
Advertisement
In an episode of the Six Feet Under podcast, Calaway recalled how he used to go to the Fonde Recreation Center in Texas where many basketball stars including Olajuwon frequented. Calaway was still in high school at the time. He started hanging around the court looking for a chance to play with the legend.
When he eventually got a chance, it turned out to be a privilege — teaming up with Hakeem. The Undertaker was asked to play as a shooting guard, even though he was tall. The WWE legend, who is 6’10”, would have preferred to play as a center instead. But he was not going to complain.
He recalled bringing the ball up the court from the left side. Calaway saw that Olajuwon was trying to put himself in position for a dunk.
“He’s already on the end and he’s pointing for an alley-oop and I threw it. The ball was way above the box and I’m thinking, crap, I just threw that away,” said Calaway.
Then again, there is no such thing as “way above the box” for the two-time NBA Champion. Calaway realised that soon enough when Olajuwon “caught” the ball.
“[He] dunked on some dude and he kind of gave me a little, ‘Nice pass, man’,” Calaway recalled.
That wasn’t the only close encounter The Undertaker had with an NBA legend at the Texas public gym.
The Undertaker played with Charles Barkley, Moses Malone, and more
The WWE legend said that it was common to bump into star basketball players at the Fonde Recreation Center. Back then, he got a chance to play with Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, and Larry Micheaux who were regulars there.
But his most memorable moment came with Olajuwon.
The Undertaker was mesmerized by Hakeem’s athleticism. “He was incredible. His footwork and everything was just next level,” he said.
Calaway put out a disclaimer too. He was a kid back then and so, in all probability, the stars would not remember playing with him. Maybe if the story of the lob reaches Olajuwon, it may jog his memory back.
