Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born Akeem Abdul Olajuwon the January 21st 1963 with Lagos with the Nigeria) is a former player of American Basket-ball having evolved/moved in the club NBA of the Houston Rockets before finishing its career with the Toronto Raptors.
Olajuwon is without question one of the best pivots of the history of the league, at the sides of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson. Its dexterity and its performances on the ground were worth the nickname of Hakeem " to him; The Dream". It had a very good mobility for its station of pivot and its 2.13 meters.
Biography
Akeem Olajuwon grows with the Nigeria, where it is tested first of all with the Football, like goalkeeper. It joined the the United States and the university of Houston, where it evolves/moves at the sides of Clyde Drexler. The team misses gaining the academic qualification in 1983 after a defeat 54-52 vis-a-vis the Georgetown of Patrick Ewing.It is selected in first position of the draft 1984 by Houston Rockets, two places before Michael Jordan. It converts with the Moslem religion a few years later, and adds a “H” to its first name. It practices the religion then, and observes even the Ramadan during the regular season, although that physically decreases it during this period, but it is always the best pivot in NBA.
Its first season with 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds of average are worth to him to finish second with the vote of best the rookie of the year behind Michael Jordan. He is besides the only player with Jordan to receive votes! The success of Rockets immediate, is associated with Ralph Sampson to form the “twin towers” ( Twin Towers ), Rockets reach the finales 1986, lost vis-a-vis Celtics of Larry Bird. After having lost Sampson initially on wound then on transfer, Rockets are inserted gradually in the soft belly of the league, even if Olajuwon shines always individually while being season after season one of the best markers, contreurs and rebondeurs of the League. In 1994, after the first retirement of Michael Jordan, Olajuwon gains the same year the title of better defender and of Meilleur player (MVP) of the league, it is a first in the history of the NBA, and it is still the only one to have had these two rewards the same year. The player shines by his aptitude for against (he becomes then the best contror of the history of the league, in front of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar which has the handicap to have spent his first years in the league whereas counter them were not entered). Its offensive dexterity places it among the best markers of the league, grace in particular to its Dream Shake , a pretense under the panels to create its shooting in order to avoid counter them unfavourable defenders.
It gains title NBA of Houston into 1994 vis-a-vis the Knicks of New York, taking its revenge over its large rival Patrick Ewing and into 1995 vis-a-vis a young pivot dominating in becoming Shaquille O'Neal, benefitting from the first retirement of Jordan. It is each time named better player of the finales. He is the main actor of two titles NBA of Rockets of Houston.
On the decline and decreased by the wounds as from the season 1997-98 (where for the first time of its career it marks less than 20 points per match), Olajuwon is finally transferred during the intersaison 2001 to the Toronto Raptors against a second choice from Draft NBA. It plays one season there before taking its retirement.
There undoubtedly remains the best player to have evolved/moved in Houston Rockets, with 12 participations in the AlStar Range.
Prize list
- Defender of the year in 1992-93 and 1993-94
- Better player (MVP) of the regular season 1993-94
- Champion NBA in 1994 and 1995 with the Houston Rockets
- Better player (MVP) of Finales NBA 1994 and 1995
- Better contror of the history of the NBA
Simple: Hakeem Olajuwon