Hakeem is the most skilled big man ever. There's a reason why even elite players today go to Houston to train with him, and Jordan, when listing his all time starting 5, has Hakeem as his center. He's THAT good.
@michael jordan he scored 40 over kareem in the 80's. Also look at the competition era. 90's had the best era in nba history against skilled players. He played in the finals against 86 celtics. Best team in the 80's. Didnt have star players when he played and took it to game 6 or 7 but loosing to an experienced bird. Dominated the 90's against players like shaq, majic , jordan barkely, ewing, malone robinson. These are elite players in their prime. Kareem and wilt didnt face this much challenges in their era. Also did i mention he dropped 40 against kareem😏.
Another thing to be said, Hakeem did the most with the least when he won that first championship. He drug really a bunch of role players to a championship.
@michael jordan to drop 40 points against an elite player is not an esy thing. Iverson crosing over Jordan does nothing. Anybody can get crossed over.Anybody can get dunked on. Anyone cn get their shots blocked. Not anyone can drop 40 points over someone guarding them. It means you simply can check that person.. Hakeem has scored more than 40 points in various games not 2 but thats not the point. He averaged 32 to35 points per game. Second, he played in a more competitive era than Kareem. Every time he played against the lakers, he dominated kareem. You obviously are a young kid cause you throw insults and name calling loosely so im done arguing.
I’m with fam I give Hakeem the slight edge over Kareem because the competition was better and his foot work was crazy he was the first kd he can’t shoot as well or dribble as well as kd but for a dude over 6-10 to have handles and a jump shot like his was unheard of and his power game was crazy too but I can also see why Kareem would get the nod but it’s very very close
For you all who didn't see it in real-time, Hakeem Olujuwan put on a god damn clinic of skills that Shaq had NO answer for at that time. It was a masterclass.
@@melvynsngltn27 Outta here Melvin. Watch clips of Wilt actually playing. He didn't even develop fundamental footwork until he played with the Lakers, and he could no longer jump over everybody and do straight layups in guys' faces, most of whom wouldn't even get on their tippy toes let alone jump to stop him. Watch the clips here on YT. Wilt isn't in the conversation. Kareem, yes he may well have blocked more shots in his career, but his career was twice as long, so the fact that Hakeem is even a totals leader let alone top 10 in 5 categories tells you how good he was. Kareem, nor Wilt, nor any of those other guys are getting 270 blocks 200 steals.
Joe Momma the suicide watch was real especially cuz he was tha mvp that yr over Akeem Nd that really pissed him off so he got tha super size dream shake lol nd I loved it never liked San Antonio
I swear hands down i was worried about him when he play the bulls but we beat but that shit was hard to do, to were u could slap someone it would just be a tech.
Joe Momma a playoff series early in shaqs career? ...game for game shaq ended up with the better nimbers and its not close...he even got more blocks which the dream was well known for...now just imzgine if the situation was reversed and Shaq had nine yrs in going against a rookie Hakeem...it would've been an embarrsssing slaughter! #friedchicken
Hakeem was not even allowed to guard Kareem alone. Ralph Sampson guarded Kareem and Hakeem was the help defender. And Kareem head to head out scored Hakeem even though Kareem was 37 to 41 yrs old and Hakeem was very young. As for Wilt he can block shots like no other. Even jump in the air and get up 12 ft 6 and 13ft and grab shots out of the air. As for down low. Wilt went down low when there was 8 guys in his way and scored. Never seen Hakeem do that. As for Hakeems dream shake sure its a top move all time. But Kareems skyhook is better. Wilt was a finger roll master and a fadeaway master. He had a dirk style fadeaway. Wilts fadeaway is also a top move all time. Plus no fragrant foul system and Wilts era was more physical. He broke bones and night after night endured way more than Hakeem.
Raymond Johnson but players are more versatile, agile & skilled on today’s NBA than in the 90s. We have a Point Forward & Point Center on today NBA. 90s Basketball forwards & Centers barely dribble the ball and that’s is facts. They can bring back the old rules it’s doesn’t matter anymore. Players today are more skilled guards and big man. Can any guards in the 90# shoot like Steph Curry? NOpe, Can any 6’11 forwards or centres in the 90s move like AD? nope, Can a 6’8 Power forward play like Lebron? nOpe. In the 90s only guards can dribble and have a full package fundamentally eg passing, dribbling shooting3s, steals, rebounds post skills right now most of the player can play 3 or 4 position right.
Paulo Austria They adapted to the new rules is what happened. By 2005 NBA view ratings were getting bad quick. NBA execs formulated rule changes to bring a faster pace, higher scoring games and more highlights reels. This led to opening up the paint and creating more space with less contact which pretty much eroded the post game and centers guarding the paint. The players evolved to benefit the new system which requires a run and gun skill set. It's not Rocket science. More freedom for all. Can a guard today post up a bigger dude and shoot a flawless fade like Jordan time and time again. No , because u can't touch nobody now.. New things are invented and adapted when rules change. Lots of what see today wouldn't work smoothly in the 90s and vice verses.
@@pauloaustria7798 I think you omitted quite a lot from the 80' and the '90. Big men couldn't dribble or they were less skilled? So Magic Johnson didn't exist? A 205cm playmaker who could play any position? Or Toni Kukoč? Kareem wasn't a skilled dribbler? Even Chamberlain with his size was ultimately good at dribble. Sabonis? A 221cm giant with the brain of a playmaker and the softest wrist around, the "Jokić" before Jokić. I mean what' wrong with Larry Bird? Today with this open court superbasket he would score 45-50 per game 'cause he was godly skilled. And the list is long, man, very long. What I see today is only speed which kills the purity of technique. And not just that, but also concerning some basic rules as traveling, carried balls. Centers today don't have any ability in footwork, they're speeding dunking machines for the circus. The only thing I give credit to today's basket is accuracy behind the 3p line, but that's simply because they made it the first option in attack (instead of being a tactical weapon as it was years ago). But that thing is also savage, 'cause you often see more shooting for 3 points than from more comfortable positions. And it's boring.
Absolutely, you need such a huge repertoire of skill in football that he always knew he should train different direction and steps to shoot, you never stop learning in football.
Hakeem is the best center of all time. In 1995 he had the best playoff run of all time, dominating shaq, drob, barkley, and malone. He also was a 6 seed that year. He is in my opinion the best defender of all time and the most versatile center of all time. He was one of the first bigs to actually shoot, helping push the game to what it is today.
Pat Ewing Hakeem: 2 Rings, the all time leader in block shots. The only player in NBA history to win MVP, defensive player of the year, and finals MVP in the same year. Without question: Hakeem the greatest center to ever play the game.
@@futureprimitivepast3044 1983 is when the defensive player of the year came out. Wilt Chamberlain the only player to lead the league in scoring & rebounds doing that five times, Wilt the only center to lead the NBA in rebounds & assists. Wilt is the Goat
Melvyn Singleton First off, it’s not Hakeem’s fault when they started defensive player of the year. Trying to say that it doesn’t count somehow because of when it first came into the league is ridiculous. Wilt played in a very weak league when he was one of the few superstars around. It’s like the Celtics. They won eight titles in a row because they were a very strong team in a very weak era. The greatest player to ever play the game, Michael Jordon, picked Hakeem as the best center.
@@futureprimitivepast3044 Wilt played in a era of great centers. Olajuwon played in a weak ass era. Before Shaq came in the league when did Olajuwon ever averaged 25ppg. 27 & later 29 NBA teams yet only four & later 5 very good centers shows how weak the center position & the nba was in the 1990's
I HATED Olajuwaon back then... Not because he was a great player, because he was, but DAMN they always costed my teams the championship! Knicks and Magic, sigh... I mean back to back too..
I loved Olajuwaon but I didn't have any skin in the game like you did (my team was/is the Timberwolves). Dude was just amazing. I think a pretty good argument could be made that while Jordan was retired, Olajuwaon was the best player in the NBA.
@@mrsassholeA good argument could be made my fuckin' ass. There was no argument otherwise. Some people were claiming David Robinson was the best player, but history settled that. I take it you were not alive then or not that old. It's absolutely certain that with Jordan retired, Hakeem was the best active player in the world. Truth be told, with Jordan active, Hakeem was the better player from about 93-96 … Olajuwon just didn't have the career Jordan did. After 96, his numbers really declined. Jordan's numbers only saw a slight decline after he returned from retirement. During the 80s, Olajuwon wasn't a scoring machine. Jordan was.
@@mrsasshole Jordan? In 92-93 Hakeem was the best player in the NBA even before Jordan retired. Should've been the MVP over Barkley that year (not that Barkley was a slouch and undeserving that year either btw).
@@melvynsngltn27 the Spurs should have taken that advice. David was not able to hold Dream. David was made to look like a college kid trying to hold a Legend
I just wanted to say thank you sir for creating this channel and allowing some familiarity, especially during these times of array. You have helped me breakaway from all the noise and just be happy. Getting to rewind to see all these highlights, players and teams I watched and tried to emulate on the court years ago, had been such a breath of fresh air. Thank sir. Appreciate you.
"The Dream" was simply the greatest center of his era, outplaying Top 50 players like David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, and Shaguille O'Neal. He holds the all-time NBA record for career blocks, and has recorded several Quadruple-Doubles, including 10 blocks in a game. Shaquille O'Neal has been quoted as saying Hakeem is a better center, and his personal favorite.
Thankgod i was Born in 1980 ! Best Players playing the Game, Rap was the Sound that took everyone by storm. Remember watching Shaq at LSU kill the Rim. 80s and 90s just were a better time #80SBABY
@Just a Man the first half was entertaining with L.A. at Houston with Ming playing defense period, but man that 4th quarter of the debut Yao Ming vs Shaquille O'Neal matchup, we hadnt seen Shaq play that aggresive going all the way back to the Orlando days, he was man handling Yao like he did Dekembe #MountMutombo and Matt Geiger and thats Nets frontline of Collins, Martin, etc in the 2001 and '02 NBA finals
@@kcc1762 Houston did win the game in overtime during Yao vs Shaq debut, both players were uniquely skilled, Shaq being the most dominant player ever from a psyhical standpoint and he had 12 to 15 foot turnaround jumphook over the right shoulder also, and Yao was a played like a European big, post up in the interior a liitle bit, but was more perimeter oriented, But Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olujawon are the equally the 2 most instinctively, dominat, complete, Skilled, competitive players on offense and defense to ever play in the NBA, 🎥 dont lie
@@Johnkoth well Hakeem #TheDream Olujawon and Michael #MrJune #TheBlackCat Jordan are equally the 2 most instinctively, complete, skilled, competitive players, on offense and defense to ever play in the NBA regardless of regular season or playoffs statistical catories, you can go check the film from the BBA and NBL after the 2 leagues merged in 1949 to the 1950s decade, 60s decade, The ABA league from 1967-1976, NBA in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020, maybe off the court, but on the court, these are the 2 most impactful players ever, 🎥 dont lie
Reggie watch Wilt Chamberlin videos. He cane do things Hakeem never did. Jump 3ft into the air and steal the ball out of air from the man he was defending. Greatest fingeroll I ever seen too. Was a better scorer, passer, rebounder, shot blocker, 45 MPG endurance for career, better at stealing the ball. But yes Hakeem was somewhat of a better defender and had the greatest footwork for a center ever. Wilt mastered the Dirk style fadeaway, up and down, fingeroll. Shaq says Wilt was the most dominant ever. Jerry West said he would destory centers of today. Speaking of 1980s centers. Including Patrick Ewing and Hakeem.
@@Johnkoth George #Iceman Gervin signature shot, Gervin didnt originate the Finger roll, but Gervin perfected that fieldgoal attempt like no other player, i dont think you've ever seen Olujawon play in live game action and im sure neither 1 of us has seen Chamberlain play live outside of Watching old film, which i saw plenty of Wilt, but Hakeem is only listed at 6"10 and has a 8feet wing span, I've seen games of Olujawon and the 7'4 Raplh Sampson towering over Olujawon standing next to each other, Sampson was the powerforward and Olujawon was the rim protector at center for those mid 1980s Houston Rockets teams and #TheDream is the greatest weakside help defender in NBA history, teams had difficult times playing pick&Roll and pick&Switch offense against the Rockets because Olujawon was quicker then most small players and defended forwards and Centers and guards straight up with no Help on the perimeter and in the interior and in transition, yes he got scored on but not to often and he runs like a deer, his offensive reputation speaks for itself when watch him put the ball between his legs and when Olujawon crossover dribble, postups, shot the ball wit efficiency over the right and left shoulders, his footwork in the interior, the fadeaways and pullup midrange jumpshot and the jab step blow by the defender, of course his pump and ball fakes and the signature dream shake fadeaway just like Michael Jordan windshield wiper fadeaway jumpshot, efficient scorer on offense, Wilt Chamberlain didnt have a offensive game or the skilled level that was close to Olujawon's game and certainly Chamberlain wasn't the 1on1 defender Olujawon is, Chamberlain was a excellent paint presence when blocking and altering shots, Olujawon is a 6'10 Michael Jordan, not the 7feet tall that the NBA has Olujawon listed at, Regardless of any individual players statistical category and team stats, the 1980s and 1990s was by far the most complete teams talented era ever when you at the how deep teams rosters were from 1 thru 15, teams played 10players in the rotation in playoffs games back in the 80s and 90s, oppose to this era now in 2020 and the 2010s when see teams load managing during the regular season and only playing 6 to 7 man rotation in the playoffs, i saw the '99'03 '04 05 '07 2014Spurs, 2000-2002 '09 2010 Lakers, '04 Pistons, '06 and 2013 Heat, '08 Celtics, 2011 Mavericks, 2015 '17 '18 Warriors teams play 8 and 9 man rotations consistently in the playoffs during this era, but that's it, and during the 1980s and 90s you didnt see superstars teaming up in the offseason freeagency period, executive vp's and gm's organicly built teams thru the draft and traded for support players or 1superstar if the team had average to verygood or a borderline allstar, but players in general on the roster to pair a superstar player with and teams competed much harder as a collective unit and the 1980s and 90s is by far the roughest era's to play in from a psyhicality stand point, go watch any NBA film of every team and players and you"ll see that #TheDream and #MrJune are equally the 2 most instinctively, skilled, competitive players on offense&defense thats ever played in the history of the BAA/NBL,ABA,NBA, 🎥 dont lie
The most satisfying sweep 🧹 I ever had the privilege of watching. After seeing Orlando beat the bulls and then hoist Hoe G up on their shoulders. I wanted Houston to win, but seeing Orlando get swept was even sweeter.
This isolation is giving me free time to watch some of videos like this. Hakeem is seriously underrated player. Maybe he didn't win as much as some other players but lets face it he played in MJ era, but imo he is the best big ever. He had it all and was such joy to watch him play.
Hakeem Olajuwon was the Earl The Pearl of Centers. Mad footwork skills tremendous coordination. I remember reading that he played soccer as a youngster and started playing basketball late.
In '96, the Bulls won 72 games. Two of their 10 losses were to the Rockets. IMO, Olajuwan is the most underrated player in NBA history.-signed, Bulls fan
That fade away from The Dream was amazing, it went over the back board, it was unstoppable. I tried to imitate it, sometimes complete it, along with Jordan fade from the shoulder.
@@Edd1e8 Healthy Houston Rockets team during and before the drug suspensions to the shooting guards Mitchell Wiggins and Lewis Loyld and NBA drug rehab center for pointguard John Lucas and injuries to Ralph Sampson, the Rockets defeated the Lakers in the 1986 playoffs and beat Lakers in 81 with featured players Moses Malone, Calvin Murphy, Robert Reid, Rodney McCray was a stud in his role, happy he won a ring with the Bulls in 1993, but the Rockets just matched up well with the Lakers back in the 1980s and was the Rockets were the only team to beat the Lakers in the Westconference outside the Lakers losing to Philly and Boston and the Pistons during the Finals back then, of the Lakers beat all those back then also, but houston was a nightmare matchup for those lakers Lakers during the 1980s
@@Edd1e8 yes the Olujawon Dream Shake and the Kareem Skyhook and the famously dubbed MJ windshield wiper fadeaway are the most unstoppable signature moves ever
People will always shit on Portland for passing on MJ to draft Sam Bowie. Nobody ever says anything about Houston passing on Jordan, because they picked (H)Akeem Olajuwon. He was that good.
There was talk that Houston could have traded for Jordan to be a Rocket With Akeem ..Can you imagine Possibly 10 to 12 straight years of The rockets winning that many Championships
I still remember the finals between Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets in 1995. Olajuwon was unbelievable. The best center I had ever seen until that moment.
I remember when Hakeem was half of the duo in Houston known as The Twin Towers along with Ralph Sampson. Ralph's star faded pretty fast but Hakeem the Dream Olajuwon will always be a legend in the H
Im from Houston born and raised! Hakeem Olajuwan is the greatest Rocket 🚀 ever! Hakeem is the best player to me....I learned a bunch from this awesome guy
Olajuwon was in the the top ten in points, rebounds, number one in blocks, and top ten in steals! Significantly higher than the next center on that mark and had more quadruple doubles than anyone else and the most five by fives. Most versatile center in NBA history
@@avigindratt7608you don't know anything about basketball! You didn't even know Olajuwon was the all time leading shot blocker without looking it up lol STFU
Hakeem and Stockton don't get there due when it comes to all time greats .. Abdul Rauf had the ability to be one of the best of all time .. I wish he would of got his chance and had better health issues
@@mackhomie6 Detlef Shrimp, first german star player in the nba, after leaving Dallas, became a 2time 6th man of year winner in Indiana and then allstar and 3rd team all nba player with the Sonics, before finishing up in Portland, 1 of early point/forwards of the NBA
I'll take Kareem, Wilt, Shaq, Moses over Olajuwon. The man loss in the first round most of his career. The two championships makes people think he was better than he was
@@mattathiasmacabees6416 i saw his career. He was Kevin Garnett good, Nowhere on a Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaq level player. Those two championship year blinded people
Shaq did certainly get schooled by some of the veteran bigs, when he was playing in Orlando... Both Hakeem, and Shawn Kemp, gave Shaq a bunch of lessons, inside the paint, and made him look like the youngster he was... Also, nobody could deal with Hakeem and his turn around fade away jumpshot.
Everyone always forgets about the Rockets back to back in 94-95 cause it's wedged between the two Bulls threepeats. One of the best 5's I've ever seen in my lifetime
Regular season Hakeem Olajuwon was a different player than Finals Hakeem O. Shaq got dominated in every way possible. Hakeem was everything Shaq wasn't.
@Just a Man Bull Shaq! That's why Hakeem dominated him. I seen it. It was embarrassing. Shaq was good, but only because of his size and power. I've seen plenty of players called for offensive fouls for how he posted up jamming his back shoulder into the defender. He rarely got called for that, and that was his main move. Hakeem was an all around basketball player. Much more superior to Sqwack..
@Just a Man did you look at the entire teams impact from team fieldgoal efficiency, to points allowed, rebs, steals, Blks, offensive rating and defensive rating, what about the scoreboard, 2 great centers, team sport, individual statistics are a big deal, Herm Edwards said you play to win the game
@@jesusflores2121 Shaq wasnt chopped liver but Hakeem and the Rockets got the better of Shaq and the Magic during key halfcourt situation moments on O&D, you had championship experience playing against youth blended in with a little experience with the Magic vets in C/Pf Tree Rollins, PF/C Horace Grant, PF/SF Jeff Turner, Sf Donald Royal the Rockets were full of savy vets with Sam Cassell being a young vet about to turn 26years of age 2nd year player
Actually, in Hakeem actual words from interviews, he said Shaq gave him too much respect and didn't really assert himself by using the advantages he had over him. This makes sense because there are actual two Shaqs. The first version was a fun loving guy that greatly admired Hakeem. Then there was the monster that said he would never allow himself to bring his admiration of a player into a game again. That's when he turned into the big bully that threw his size and weight around. I don't understand why people hate Shaq for that. If he gets the ball 5 feet from the rim he supposed to step back a few feet like Ewing and shoot a mid range jumper just so people can know he can do it? Fuck no. Use that brute force advantage and move that defender isout the lane and take that easy two. You use your weapons. Did anyone tell Iverson to slow down?
If you want to do a dream league with the top 200 players and do a simulation of I say 20 teams with a salary cap and each roster can hVe max 10 players and choose a coach how would that shake out here is the thing let’s play by 80’s rules and 70’s rule were there was no 3 point shot
I was a huge Magic fan as a kid and vividly remember that 95 series. The stats don't really show just how dominant Hakeem was. Shaq was young and was used to overpowering everyone he encountered. But he couldn't keep up with someone that skilled. Hakeem was the most complete big man of that era.
Hakeem's cardio was insane at that time, especially considering he was older. Shaq's cardio was always a bit of an issue, but it's to be expected when you're carrying around all that mass.
Clickbait videos are awesome. Shaq puts up more boards, assits, blocks and shoots a higher percentage. Olajuwon puts up 3 more ppg, while Houston's role players dominant Orlando's role players = "Olajuwon destroys Shaq". Delightful.
While Olajuwon was without question a big man worthy of HOF status and did have notable performances against other elite centers (Shaq and David "The Admiral" Robinson) during his era, the complimentary part of the narrative was laid on a little too thick. No due was given to his predecessors to greatness (Wilt, Kareem, Russell). No center before "The Dream" or since had such an impressive array of post moves.
So according to you Shaq averaged 28 points and Hakeem averaged 45 minutes, but Shaq didn’t score most of his points against Hakeem. So logically we must conclude that Shaq scored over 14 points per game in 3 minutes against a back up center. Do you have a source where I can see this incredible stat because if I didn’t know better I would think that you just make this stuff up as you go. Or maybe Houston didn’t put in a backup center at all. That would explain how he averaged 5 points per minute.
@@troycann8323 numbers has nothing to do with getting beat down in the championship, we're talking about that win for Olajuwon, how Shaq couldn't stop him.
@@troycann8323 he should have better numbers overall than Olajuwon, the ball was passed to him more because that was Orlando's strategy for his entire career there. But he got beat by Olajuwon. Numbers mean nothing when you get beat.
@@troycann8323 your talking about a vet vs. a young fresh legs' Shaq and he got beat by the vet. Shaq got spun around faked out so much he thought he was at the amusement park with his family.
