Show me a more intimidating defender, inside and out.

Loved the rare Joe Barry Carroll in a Rockets' jersey footage on the OP's clip!

 

You asked for a more intimidating defender, you shall receive.

Spoiler

 

So mic dropped before the thread even started by OP himself?

 

There will never be a better defender than the Dream

 

Bill Russell

 

I became a fan of basketball in the mid-80s when I was in Chicago. I was young but I saw Jordan and that was exciting. High flyer. The shoes. The talk of the town. But it all seemed a little over-blown to me. I also knew the Bears in 85' and how sometimes hype isn't just hype. Michael was all hype back then. Then I moved to the Houston area and found out about Hakeem. When we won the first 15 games of that 1994 season I was hooked. This was the best basketball any center has ever played for a stretch in my mind. Not necessarily that streak but the playoff Olajuwon of 94' was mystifying. That 1995 season was more of the same. But now I look back at highlights of Hakeem earlier in his career and I think he might've been better before I started watching religiously in 94'. I get a bit jealous of you guys that knew about him well before that. What a journey to watch unfold. The peak of winning was amazing and I was there with you for that part, but you few that are still around and still remember the path to get to Mt Olympus and fighting well enough to get close but not quite there as a team... there are stories in the recesses of your memory that are unavailable to many. You certainly don't have to, but if you have great Hakeem Olajuwon moments before those championships that never left your mind... I would love to read them or see them.

Kudos to @Zboy for sharing this one. Hakeem was great, but the more you know, the more you are mystified.

 

kobe

need @tinman breh to tell the board how wrong i am

 

James hardens body guard when you insult him and try to get into the stripclub

 

Haku - was the real deal and had to tone it down in the ring for people to work with him. Some of the enhancement talent would leave the building if they were scheduled to work together. By far the most intimidating of all time.

 

I will fight that dude for even asking that question.

 

I watched the Rockets from Hakeem's draft onward and believe me, the 86/87-91/92 Rockets were hard to watch in the following ways.

All of those years, I said to myself how sad it was that Hakeem was so great and the team around him so inadequate. The Cocaine Three had a lot to do with setting the stage for those years, but the fact remains that most of Hakeem's best years were wasted on mediocre teams.

From a Hakeem only perspective, yes, you missed a lot.
From a Rockets team perspective, you might be glad you missed them.