Media people never really watched him play. They have this vague notion that he was a very nimble, finesse-oriented big man, so whenever a young player comes along that's close to that description, they all start coming out with "This guy is the next Hakeem!" hot takes even though none of those young guys play much like Hakeem and NONE of them play defense worth a crap. They also have goofy ideas like how Hakeem and Patrick Ewing were equivalent-level players, which looked really stupid when Hakeem straight up outplayed Ewing in the finals. Basically, they see Hakeem as a great but nonetheless second-tier player, which players themselves always protest because they had to play against (or at least studied or even tutored under) him and they know.
These lists mean nothing. Anyone can make a list. A hundred years from now Jordan, Kobe, and Hakeem probably won’t be on any lists. They will get little respect from people who never saw them play. I could make a list with Matt Bullard as the best player of all time. See, anyone can make a list. What does it mean?
If the NBA was strictly about valuing how much players contributed to winning, Kobe wouldn't never be in the top 10 discussion at all. Basketball is entertainment. If you actually have a model that can accurately measure value, you aren't working at ESPN.
Hakeem is top 5, best 2 way player ever. But Kobe as a guard was more skilled and could create his shot better
Hey Junior, "Very few players got the better of Michael Jordan head-to-head during his illustrious career. Hakeem Olajuwon is one of them. The two faced off 23 times in the NBA, and Olajuwon won 13 of them. Distill that down only to the years in which Chicago won championships, and Olajuwon still holds a 6-5 advantage." Signed, Your little buddy
To me Olajuwon is sort of like Tyson, he may not have had the best total career, but in his prime, he was about as good as anybody ever. Both athletes had a 4 year window where they were performing at all time levels.
top 5, best 2 way player ever. Like do u even know what u r typing when u post this? Top 5 best 2 way player ever in NBA HISTORY. Hakeem couldn't create his own shot? Then how is he a 2 way player? More skilled vs being a 2 way player? So many contradictions or u just don't know what the term 2 way player even mean.
somebody in this thread really said that Dream wasn’t better than Kobe… give that moron Donkey of the Day