Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon, formerly known as Akeem Olajuwon, is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to ...
Akeem Abdul Olajuwon , The Dream , Akeem Olajuwon , Akeem The Dream
Awards
NBA Most Valuable Player Award, All-NBA Team, Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, NBA All-Defensive Team, NBA All-Rookie Team, NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Best NBA Player ESPY Award, Southwest Conference Men's Basketball...
Nominations
Milliyet Sports Award for World Athlete of the Year
Movies
NBA: Furious Finishes, Heaven Is a Playground, 1983 NCAA Championship: NC State vs. Houston, NBA Hardwood Classics: Hakeem Olajuwan: Hakeem the Dream
Star Sign
Aquarius
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Trademark
1
Short hair and thin mustache
2
Perfected the unstoppable "Dream Shake" spin move like no one else
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Nearly always wore knee and elbow pads
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Fact
1
He did not start playing Basketball until he was age 15.
2
Drives a black AMG Mercedes Benz CL65 with vanity Texas license plates "HAK".
3
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 (first year eligible).
4
Prior to coming to the U.S. to attend the University of Houston, he had never played basketball and actually came to Houston to play soccer. Houston coach Guy Lewis saw his potential and placed him in a summer league in 1981, where he was tutored by then-NBA player Moses Malone.
5
Shortly after beating the Orlando Magic for the championship in 95, he was challenged by Shaquille O'Neal to a one on one match in which he accepted. The match was going to televised on pay per view. Later after receiving an injury to his hand he respectfully canceled the match.
6
He is frequently listed as standing 7' 0" tall, but in reality he is 6' 10".
7
His wife was 18 years old when they were married by arrangement. He was 33.
8
"Olajuwon" is a Yoruban word, meaning "always being on top"
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Speaks French and the Nigerian dialects Yoruba, Ebo, and Ekiti.
10
Does not own his NBA championship rings because his Muslim faith forbids it. He allowed them to be auctioned off.
11
Added the "H" to his first name (9 March 1991)
12
When Olajuwon won his NBA championships in 1994 and 1995, he defeated the other 3 celebrated centers of the time. Hakeem outplayed Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and Shaquille O'Neal in the NBA Finals and Western Conference Finals to win his two titles.
13
Won an Olympic gold medal in 1996 with Dream Team II. Olajuwon did not play with his peers on the original Dream Team in the 1992 Barcelona games, because at the time he was not an American citizen.
14
His jersey, #34, was retired by the Rockets in 2002.
15
Did not finish his career with Houston, but instead played 1 season (2001-2002) with the Toronto Raptors.
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Is the NBA's all time leading shot blocker.
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Was a teammate of Clyde Drexler with both the Houston Cougars and the Houston Rockets.
18
Lead the Houston Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1986, but lost to the Boston Celtics in 6 games.
19
Lead the Houston Cougars to the NCAA championship game in 1983 and 1984, but unfortunately came up short both times.
20
Named of one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time in 1997.
21
Was known as "Akeem Olajuwon" up until 1991 when he added the letter "H" to his name.
22
Only player in NBA history to win a Defensive Player of the Year award, regular season MVP, and NBA Finals MVP in the same year. (1994)
23
Was the 1st pick in the 1984 NBA draft, selected before Michael Jordan.
$200 Million
