Hakeem Olajuwon—a name that evokes memories of Dream Shakes and devastating defense—had the entire package as a center. Olajuwon was quick enough to work in his finesse post moves around the basket and strong enough to tear away rebounds and swat away shots into the stands.
Being taken ahead of Michael Jordan in the 1984 draft, not many challenged the decision at the time. Even in hindsight, the choice is not necessarily specious. Olajuwon is the only player in NBA history to be named NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and NBA Finals MVP—all in one season. Certainly not a feat easily replicated.
Olajuwon dominated the low post with a dizzying array of spins, fakes, and shakes. He combined his size and length with the finesse and agility of a skilled guard. His deft ball handling coupled with his nimble footwork left countless defenders scratching their heads mid-air as he baited opponents into empty space.
On the other end of the court, Hakeem was one of the best at timing his jump to block shots. With a career total of 3,830 blocks to his name, he is the all-time leader in that category. Hakeem is the only player with over ...
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Article written by Allen Kim
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