Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Olajuwon is a retired NBA player who played 18 seasons primarily for the Houston Rockets between the years of 1984-2001, ending his career with the Toronto Raptors in 2002.

Olajuwon played his first basketball game at age 15 in his native Nigeria. After graduating high school, Olajuwon came to the United States and attended the University of Houston. While in college, he worked with his basketball mentor, Moses Malone, then leading the Houston Cougars to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, however, they lost in both contests 1983 and 1984. Following the 1983 tournament, he was named the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

Olajuwon left the University of Houston after his junior year to enter the NBA draft. He was selected first overall in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, ahead of future NBA Stars Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley.

During his rookie year in the NBA, Olajuwon played in all 82 regular season games, and was selected for his first of 12 NBA All-Star Games. Olajuwon helped the Rockets win the NBA Championship in both the 1994 and 1995 seasons, and was named the finals MVP both years. In 1996, he was part of the Olympic U.S. Men's Basketball Team, winning a Gold Medal in the Summer Games.

Olajuwon continued with the Rockets through the 1998-1999 season, then joined the Toronto Raptors for his final season in 2001-2002.

Following his retirement from the NBA, Olajuwon opened the Big Man Basketball Camp to help young players. On April 7, 2008 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Hakeem Olajuwon was one of the more versatile big men in the league as he featured a mid-range jump-shot and a variety of jaw-breaking moves in the paint. Hakeem earned the nickname “The Dream” but he was a nightmare for opposing centers to guard on the offensive ends as well as opposing players who thought they had a clear path to the rim on the defensive end. Hakeem Olajuwon would have 15 playoff appearances during this career to go along with three Finals appearances, winning two champions in consecutive seasons (1994-1995).

Hakeem’s averaged 21.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game over the course of his 18 year playing career. Olajuwon playoff averages included 25.9 points, 11.7 rebounds 3.3 blocks and 3.2 assists per contest. While the seven-game series in the 1994 Finals against the New York Knicks gave Olajuwon his first championship, the matchup against Shaquille O’Neal was probably the series that elevated Olajuwon to legendary status. A young Shaquille O’Neal and the Orlando Magic were favorites in that series but Olajuwon would show the up and coming center that he still had a long way to go before he could become a dominant big man in the league. Olajuwon’s impressive averages during the 1995 playoffs included 33.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.8 blocks per game.

• "Basketball is something that is so unique. That immediately I pick up the game and you know realize that this is the sport for me. All the other sports just become secondary."