Olajuwon or Nowitzki - Best International Player of all time

Dirk is pretty close to half the player Olajuwon was, he's got the offense, but nowhere near the defense. That's not to say that he's not one of the all time greats because he is but Olajuwon is just on a whole different level.

 

Let's see... equivalent scorers but one guy was like five times as good at every other part of playing basketball. Cuban is beyond homer if he even thinks this is a contest.

 

Dirk will beat Hakeem in points. And 3 pointers. That's it.

They have a lot of similar stats but Hakeem wins in rebounds, steals, blocks, and shooting percentage. He also was built for the playoffs.

Hard to understand why anyone would give Dirk the nod.

 

Hakeem n its not even close

 

thats a dumb way of thinking about it really. Hakeem is most definitely an international player. Tony Parker, Dirk, Pau, AND Hakeem all came to the US between ages 18-20, being introduced to America at similar ages

Marc Gasol largely grew up in Memphis btw, if anything, he is the least "international" on your list

 

NBA.com now has a poll on "Who do you think is the NBA's all-time best international player?"

Hakeem Olajuwon 7k
Tim Duncan 7k
Dirk Nowitzki 3k
Patrick Ewing 567
Steve Nash 1k

Just cast my vote. Olajuwon's is currently slightly lower than Duncan's.

 

Hakeem was born in Nigeria. He grew up playing soccer and didn't touch basketball until he was 15. He moved to the US to play basketball for UH when he was 18. Dirk and Yao and some of those players went straight into the NBA, but that wasn't even an option when Hakeem played.

I'm sorry if that isn't international enough for you.

 

Just voted. Olajuwon gets my vote easily for what he did on both ends of the floor, but I can actually see a legitimate debate between him and Duncan whereas trying to argue for Dirk is just ridiculous.

 

meh, I think you can make a case comparing Duncan with Hakeem being pretty close, that's the way it should be. The Dirk and Hakeem comparison is just r****ded.

 

Not even a real argument. What's next Dominique vs Jordan?

 

What? The argument can certainly be made for Timmy. You're just a plain homer if you put Duncan on the same tier as Dirk.

 

5 rings too 2.

 

Olajuwon would kill Dirk on the block and on the perimeter, ask David Robinson.

Olajuwon could at least contain Dirk with his all time Defense.

This is seriously an insult to Hakeem.

Dirk is really great but so was David Robinson and Barkley etc. Olajuwon is another level above all those guys. Also, Cuban is an idiot.

 

Its not that simple.

Look at the organization, David Robinson and the continuity of 2 All Stars (Ginobili and Parker), the Coach and the competency of the Spurs upper level management to the Owner. Duncan wins in a landslide. It got so bad that Olajuwon requested a trade, Duncan never had that problem.

Afford Olajuwon that priveladge and there's no telling how many rings he'd have.

 

Didn't Sefko write for the Chronicle once upon a time? And during the championship years?

 

Hindsight or not, if Cuban had to select on whom to draft, there is no logical explanation why he would pick Dirk over Hakeem.

 

Isn't Duncan from the US Virgin Islands?

 

I really hate that this conversation is going on. Yes, Hakeem is better, but it's also perfectly fine to celebrate Dirk in his final years. He's an amazing player and I will miss him when he's gone.

 

Easy answer



OLAJUWON hands down