Based on the overall package, defense, quickness, footwork, perimeter shooting, great touch up close, Hakeem is the best center of all-time.
Or it could be the fact that Hakeem lives ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD? Maybe is phone number in Jordan is unlisted? Did you guys ever stop to consider that maybe Hakeem doesn't want to be a basketball teacher? The guy clearly has other things going on in his life right now. Leave him alone.
Superb read! Great to hear that dream will be back in town for the AS game. I hope that they televise whatever ceremony he takes part in
Hakeem was probably the the greatest (if not greatest top three) centers ever, and to me without A DOUBT, the best humanitarian player in the NBA ever. I admire that guy like anything. If he wasn't any NBA all star, or even an NBA player and I knew him and his morals, i would admire that man.
Cool stuff. Never understood why Hakeem wanted to be in some hole in the wall like Jordan. pretty sure they're not a real country as well.
I always thought he was a prince. I had a disagreement about this with someone on this site about a year ago about that.
I gotta agree. Hakeem made making the Houston Rockets the best team they could possibly be his first priority in life for what, 15 years? I'd say he had a pretty damn good run, too. But that part of his life is over now. He says in this very article that he always wanted to be immersed in the Arabic language and culture so he could better understand and interpret the Koran and other religious writings; I believe he's earned the right to set his own priorities and act in his own interests at this point in his life, rather than be at the Rockets' beck and call. I'm certain that Hakeem keeps an eye on the Rockets and no doubt he will always have a home in Houston. But if he had any interest in coaching, he would NOT have to look hard for a job. Let's just take an opportunity during the all-star game to cheer and applaud a Houston legend. Let the responsibility for taking the Rockets to the top fall on new shoulders now.
True. All respect to Russell, but can you even begin to imagine what a shot blocker like dream could have done to opponents in the Russel era I think he is the greatest player of all time. It's just my opinion. He dominated his position when it was at its peak, took his team to a championship without a second superstar, came to play every night and had more skill than any centre before him and any centre after him. The total package. The greatest.
I like what Shaq said about him back when we destroyed Orlando in the Finals. He said every good center has 4 or 5 moves, but Hakeem has 4 or 5 variations of 4 or 5 moves.
I remember watching an NBA finals game in the late 1980s where Julius Erving was asked during halftime if he could start a franchise with 1 player who would it be? He immediately said Olajuwon. I think it was Brent Musberger who then asked him, "Olajuwon? What about Michael Jordan? Majic Johson? Larry Bird?" Dr. J was firm, said that the NBA had never seen the likes of the Dream before and that as a great center, he could surround him with anybody and still win.
No doubt, a great Center is always more valuable than a great guard. It's just so much easier to build a team around a dominant center than a dominant guard, and the chances of success are higher with a dominant big man. Jordan was the greatest ever precisely because he was able to be so dominant from the 2-guard position without a dominant big man, an honor that he alone shares; the Bulls were the only exception to the rule for over 5 decades of NBA basketball.
I was talking to my youngest brother (13 yrs old) and some nephews of mine during the Christmas vactation, and they were talking about how "awsome" T-mac is and how "bad" Lebron James is. I started to talk about Hakeem and they had no idea who I was talking about. I brought out some tapes of the two championship runs we had. The kids were in awe of his moves. Hakeem was a beauty to behold when he played.
Yeah, it's something that as someone born in the late 70s, I actually got to witness how amazing this guy was, while he did it, but recently I relized it was just the norm for me, because I saw it all of the time. It really wasn't until after he left until I realized how great he really was. Look at the game's centers before and after him. There is no equal as far as speed, agility, quickness, range, strength, and high IQ at his position. All of the "great" centers have a few of those, but not all like Hakeem did. The dude averaged almost 2 steals per game as a center! Heving done this during the time where his position was at it's peak, AND all while being undersized.
I still remember the text -- almost word for word -- that I placed on the "They Call him "The Dream" Hakeem tribute wallpaper I made for ClutchCity and the Rockets a decade ago: They call him The Dream. And on certain nights, when he is truly on He is nothing short of legendary. His defense is a brick wall, And it's as if he has radar in his fingertips. On those special nights, Everyone watching just shakes their head in disbelief Because no man can be that good. They call him ... THE DREAM No one can touch Hakeem as a Rocket in my estimation. He was -- and is -- the ultimate Houston athlete.
