[grantland]Robert Horry Says Hakeem Was the Best Center in History

You had me until here. If we're taking entire career into consideration I have no problem with putting Kareem ahead of Hakeem. His longevity was pretty incredible.

But at their peak? What could Kareem do in his peak that Hakeem couldn't do circa 1992-1995? Hakeem was a more versatile offensive player and better defender.

 

You lose me here. He was a very good post defender...but he was nowhere near as versatile defensively as Hakeem. Not nearly as quick. He was very good at defending against the guy he was matched up on....Hakeem was very good at limiting the entire opposing team.

At his prime, I've never seen a center as incredibly skilled and versatile as Hakeem Olajuwon. Kareem's strength was ongevity and how he was able to sustain a very high level of play very late into his career. That was awesome...but when you start comparing peak Kareem and peak Hakeem....yeah, i have a very difficult time imagining Kareem ever strapping the 1994 Rockets to his back and delivering a title.

 

There have been so many great ones, it is almost unfair to pick just one. No doubt Dream is one of the greatest, but Wilt, Russell, Kareem, and others should be included in the conversation. Dream may be the "all around" best because he could so many things well.

 

hearing Robert talk about Dream made me cry like that Ravens fan.

 

Horry played with the best and against the best (centers)

 

Even that is debatable. Wilt led league in assists once.

 

My signature says it all my friends........

 

memories of olajuwon

Its hard to recall any games that Olajuwon was NOT the dominant big man on the court. The Utah Jazz gave them fits with the Stockton pick and roll and outside shooting of Karl Malone. The years of double and triple teams were painful to watch unless our guards were hitting the 3s. Thank god for Kenny Smith, Rodney McCray and Robert Horry. The 1986 playoff games with the Lakers were incredible including the miracle sampson shot. Anyway... DIRECTV stop the rockets BLACKOUTs.

 

I want to go back and watch this series... where can I do that?????

 

Legend! Hakeem the Dream.

 

I think Hakeem gets a lot of credit, deservedly, for being a more versatile player. Not just offensively, but defensively. And that's great. But is also a little overrated, IMO. It's great that Hakeem had clearly better footwork and counter moves... Kareem was still better offensively. He scored more, more efficiently, with a more unstoppable single move. He was a more than capable assist man throughout his career. He was a ls good if not a better rebounder.

Defensively Hakeem was clearly better but don't short change Kareem. He may not have been able to defend quicker smaller players like Hakeem but he was certainly capable of locking down the paint in his day.

 

Again it's tough when comparing generally different eras. But Kareem's numbers at his peak definitely eclipse Hakeem's. of course numbers aren't everything. Their careers did of course overlap a bit. And generally Hakeem got the better of Kareem stats wise. But consider Kareem's age at that point. In the 86 playoffs for example, Kareem was already 38 years old. But he still scored 22+ per game, grabbi g nearly 7 boards and 2 blocks. Hakeem of course did better - meaningfully - but consider Hakeem at 38. Of course the longevity is part of Kareem's greatness... But I'd also argue that putting up those stats at 38 against the new age 80's centers speaks well to how well he would have done if be came up in the same era. In other words, while Kareem might not have still out up 35 points, 16 boards, 3.5 blocks and 4.5 assists per game as he did in his best years, I don't suspect it would be that far off.

There's no telling what Kareem would have done at a comparable age on that 94 Rockets. I do know he immediately changed the fate of the Bucks. I do think he gets a rap for being more of a gentle giant which equates to can be lead a team like Hakeem did... Great teammates or not, Kareem is one of the greatest winners in the history of basketball.

I love the rockets and Hakeem, but I can't rate him above Kareem all time. Sorry.

 

Does KAJ's longevity hurt or help his overall legacy when people evaluate him? It seems like when a lot of fans think of Kareem they remember when he was in his late 30s, stopped rebounding, and had deferred to Magic.

IMO Kareem's age 23-33 seasons were superior to Hakeem's over the same ages (and I don't think I have to look at their respective age 34-39 season to see who comes out on top there).

As for his defense, I used to believe that in today's game Kareem would have been at least as good as Mutombo in that regard. But looking at their rebounding and blocked shot % during their respective prime years, and considering how his counting stats in those categories were inflated by the pace of the game at the time, that's probably too generous.

A much more mobile Yao might be a better comparison.

 

Hakeem won a championship in the modern day NBA, with no "Robin" in 1994. Who else has done that?

Even Jordan didn't do that. Kareem didnt do that.

Maybe Dirk with the Mavs in 2011? Bill Walton's 77 Blazers?

How dominate was Hakeem in the mid 80s. He was incredible then too. Not as polished, but still a major star.

Hakeem is the best center in the history of the NBA.

 

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When the greatest players of all time...come out to endorse a certain player...that says something. Jordan, would take Hakeem. Clutch Bob, would take Hakeem. Shaq, would take Hakeem. Me, you, your friends we have our opinions. We like to think ours is right, but in hindsight we never played the game professionally, never went up against the best on a nightly basis. Those men did, and they would take Hakeem before anybody else. I want to say Kobe said the same thing in 98, could be wrong.

He's top ten all time in steals..for god sakes. That's mind boggling. Mind blowing rather. A center in top ten in steals. What Hakeem did to David Robinson, has never been done before, and might not be done again in our lifetime. I've never seen two dominant, HOF players, in the playoffs...and one just make the other look like he was a rookie straight out of the Dleague.

And I was blessed, we were blessed, to witness the greatest center of all time play for us and bring us home 2 World Championships. I have no complaints