Drexler to present Hakeem at Hall of Fame Last Edited: Tuesday, 02 Sep 2008, 9:31 PM CDT Created: Tuesday, 02 Sep 2008, 9:20 PM CDT HOUSTON -- Friday in Springfield, Massachusetts Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler will be together again. Olajuwon is being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Drexler is already a member. Olajuwon has asked his former college and pro teammate to be his presenter and Drexler gladly accepted. "I thought it was great," Drexler said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "For Hakeem to ask me to be with him on this special day is quite special." Drexler said Olajuwon asked him last month to be by his side when Olajuwon makes his acceptance speech. "Hakeem has been like a brother to me since the first time I met him when he came over from Nigeria," Drexler said. "He has always been a special friend and he knows I'm supportive of everything he does and vice-versa." Drexler pointed out at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame the presenter doesn't have to make a speech. The presenter walks with the inductee up to the podium and is by his side during the acceptance speech. Drexler was by Olajuwon's side when the two led the University of Houston to the NCAA Championship game in 1983. The two former NBA All-Stars were side by side in 1995 when the Houston Rockets won their second straight NBA Championship. In fact Drexler has done just about everything you can do in the game of basketball with the exception of being a presenter at the Hall of Fame. That void will be filled Friday. "After presenting Hakeem in the Hall my work will be done," Drexler said. Then Drexler paused for a moment and amended that last thought. "And it will really be done when we get Guy Lewis in the Hall of Fame," Drexler said. Lewis was the head coach at the University of Houston when Olajuwon and Drexler were charter members of the team affectionately known as Phi Slama Jama.
I just used Hakeem as the subject for an assignment the other day and it was then and only then that I realized he was being inducted this week. Cool!
Good gallery to go with that induction. What a ride he took us on. http://www.nba.com/gallery/HOF_Olajuwon/20080829_1.html they flubbed it though - they kept referring to the championship where the dream took down the young upstart named Shaq as the 94 finals. For shame...tsk, tsk, tsk.
I used to hate Hakeem since he was so dominant. I grew up a Die-Hard Drexler/Blazers fan. The day Drexler became a Rocket was the day Rockets became my favorite team and Hakeem became my 2nd favorite player. This will be a special day and I'm looking forward to it.
so what? they have been together many time this year, couple times together at dinner, couple times together in a party....
I would have thought that to be hist first choice. To ask Guy. What didnt he, and if he did is Guy's health the reason? It could be the closest thing Guy gets to that HOF before he passes, a damn shame too.
will this event be televised live anywhere? I am in austin so I won't be able to watch local houston tv unless it's online.
I hope that after listening to dream, those around the country who have neglected guy lewis as a Hall of famer, will finally get their heads out of their...
I guess, in our life, there ain't many persons(know or meet) whos make us feel special, glad to know Hakeem and Clyde feel both in that way. It's worth cherishing...
