You know, when you look at Hakeem's greatness, it is hard to evaluate it because Hakeem was so unique. Here is what I believe about Hakeem: Hakeem was the greatest defensive center of all-time. With all due respect to Bill Russell, Hakeem was better. He made the Rockets a great defensive team with his quickness. In fact, I can't remember any other player save maybe Vernon Maxwell in the championship years that was known for their defense and yet the rockets were always a top defensive squad. Everything was filtered to Hakeem, and for that he is the greatest. Second, to say that Hakeem revolutionized the center position is a misstatement, because after Hakeem they broke the mold. Hakeem was like a guard in the body of a center. In fact, there's not been front line player, that is at center, pf, or sf, that I can remember that had the type of moves he had. You have to go to the guard position to find something close. Hakeem tried to make you look silly. THE PROBLEM with Hakeem was that his moves did not always translate to points, and many who look at Hakeem in terms of the greatest center or player for that matter only look at the numbers and how dominance was the player. I'll say it again, if Hakeem put together a 5 or 6 year run like he had in 1995 playoffs, where his moves, his scoring and defense all came together in one rapid motion of grace and power, AND he won two more championships and one of them beating Jordan, he would have changed a lot of people's minds as to who the greatest of all-time was. The other problem with arguing Hakeem's greatness with anybody is that we are talking about Picaso vs. Andy Worhol. Or moves vs. dominance. Hakeem was an artist on the floor, but all that art only amounts to 2 points on the scoreboard and frankly all you need is a dunk. I am in awe of Hakeem, but people on the outside looking in only see the dominance, and thus a player like Shaq, who will never have moves like Hakeem can be put in the same breath because Shaq was effective at what he did. People look at Hakeem's moves as besides the point because most of the time it did not translate to more points, championships, etc.
THE PROBLEM with Hakeem was that his moves did not always translate to points, and many who look at Hakeem in terms of the greatest center or player for that matter only look at the numbers and how dominance was the player. THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE- HAKEEM IS IN THE TOP 10 IN SCORING AND HAD A 51% FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE FOR HIS CAREER. HOW IS THIS NOT "DOMINANT"? I'll say it again, if Hakeem put together a 5 or 6 year run like he had in 1995 playoffs, where his moves, his scoring and defense all came together in one rapid motion of grace and power, AND he won two more championships and one of them beating Jordan, he would have changed a lot of people's minds as to who the greatest of all-time was. HOW COME WILT CHAMBERLAIN WITH HIS 2 CHAMPIONSHIPS IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME? WHAT ABOUT LARRY BIRD AND HIS 3? NOT MUCH MORE THAN HAKEEM. YET THEY ARE CONSIDERED AMONG THE BEST EVER, RIGHT? AND WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT WHETHER HE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST- WE ALREADY KNOW HE'S OVERLOOKED- WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH HIS OFFENSIVE GAME? The other problem with arguing Hakeem's greatness with anybody is that we are talking about Picaso vs. Andy Worhol. Or moves vs. dominance. Hakeem was an artist on the floor, but all that art only amounts to 2 points on the scoreboard and frankly all you need is a dunk. I am in awe of Hakeem, but people on the outside looking in only see the dominance, and thus a player like Shaq, who will never have moves like Hakeem can be put in the same breath because Shaq was effective at what he did. People look at Hakeem's moves as besides the point because most of the time it did not translate to more points, championships, etc.[/QUOTE] And this is where I'll refute this and end it right here. Hakeem's standard shots were a hook shot, a fadeaway, a lay-in, and a dunk. He could also shoot well straight facing the basket. The times when Hakeem used the "art" move was mostly in situations when it was required (e.g. Hakeem was 6'10" playing against 7-footers, so he occasionally had to use his quickness- this is what he did against Robinson and Ewing. Against other centers, he powered them straight up.). People do NOT look at Hakeem's moves as beside the point- to even make a point like that is not only silly, but irresponsible. Hakeem does not get the credit he does for the same reason Tim Duncan does not- it has to do with personality (and, to some small degree, championships). Hakeem led his team to the NBA Finals in his 2nd year- Hakeem's team was decimated due to drugs and probably would have won at least a championship or two had Lloyd and Wiggins not screwed up so bad. Hakeem was selfish in the late '80s because he had to be- his team stunk. In the 1990s, when we began to get players who could actually score on a consistent basis, voila! Hakeem becomes a better passer and player. He led his team to 2 championships and a WCF appearance later in his career. No matter- the whole premise of this was about how Dirk is better than Hakeem offensively- for the premise, the premise, all of this other stuff matters very little. The numbers and the facts certainly support that Hakeem was a better offensive player. And going back to an even further premise, in Mr. Sefko's article which is how I started this whole thread, to say that Dirk might now be better than Hakeem (offense AND defense, for this argument) is downright silly and at worst, highly irresponsible journalism. Please lock. Thank you.
I am not arguing against hakeem being ONE of the greatest players. I am arguing for being THE greatest. Thus, he is in the same boat with Larry Bird. Wilt is a different story because Wilt averaged 50 points in a whole season. That is dominance beyond dominance. Had 100 points in 1 game. 55 rebounds in one game. 65 points 15 times. That is unreal. I am also saying that Hakeem ONLY once realized his potential in terms of his unreal moves and that was in 1995. No player alive or dead ever played better than he did in 1995 playoffs. But Hakeem never could sustain that feat. If he could have he would have been considered as great as Wilt.
i don't think dirk and hakeem should really be compared. anyways dirks a great player and ppl who say he sucks during the playoffs are just haters.
Thanks to EDDIE SEFKO, we had the label CHOKE CITY thanks to VERNON MAXWELL and COMPANY, we have CLUTCH CITY
Dirk plays crappy defense and shrivels up in the clutch in the playoffs. He ain't in Hakeem's league in these categories. He is an awesome offensive player, but Hakeem put teams on his shoulders and willed them to win from the beginning of his career. Dirk hasn't shown that kind of will. So, no...until he wins a ring he's a badass version of Tom Chambers.
I believe Choke City was the work of Fran Blinebury. Sefko lives in Joke City, so I can see how you were confused.
I'm pretty sure Sefko was the beat writer for the Rockets during the championship years. Could be wrong, though.
Yes he was, but I think Fran "deserves" credit for the Choke City label. I know he took credit for it in an article he wrote before/after they won in 1994.
Well Sefko emailed me back. Here was my email: -------------------------- Subject: Dirk = Hakeem? Hahahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahaha What the **** is wrong with you? Did Dallas corrupt your mind and your soul? How do you live with yourself? MR. MEOWGI, Clutch City -------------------------------------------- His response: I'm the only one who will live with me. Thanks for keeping up, Sefko
No no...it's way beyond hate. It's a vicious loathing that I can't even muster up for Malone or Stockton or Osama Bin Laden. If he leads his team to the championship, I will admit he is decent and promptly kill myself.
No it was sefko, Blinbury was with the Houston Post, Sefko was with the Chronicle. http://www.offthekuff.com/mt/archives/003632.html The screaming headline in the Chron the next morning was "Choke City", trust me, i think about clutch city days all the time. I remember it everyday and every second.
