Hakeem Olajuwon is a former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
He played for the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors. Olajuwon has been enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Houston Sports Hall of Fame, and the FIBA Hall of Fame.
He is a 2-time NBA Champion and he has been named the NBA Finals MVP twice in his career as well. In 1994, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. Olajuwon has also been named to the 50th and 75th NBA Anniversary Teams.
Player Profile and Personal Life
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon was born on January 21, 1963, in Lagos, Nigeria. He stands 213 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 116 kg. He is a center and he shoots right. His parents are Salim and Abike and they owned a cement business in Lagos, Nigeria.
When he was younger, he played football and was a goalkeeper. He did not play basketball until he was 15 years old.
High School and College Career
He attended the Muslim Teachers College in Nigeria. For college, he immigrated to the United States where he played collegiate basketball for the University of Houston and was coached by Coach Guy Lewis. He redshirted his first year and he served as the sixth man.
In 1984, he became the NCAA Rebounding Leader. In the same year, he was named the SWC Player of the Year. The University later retired Jersey Number 34 in Olajuwon’s honor. He was also enshrined in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.
Professional Career
Olajuwon was drafted into the NBA in 1984 and he was the first overall pick by the Houston Rockets in the first round. In his first year with the team, he was named to the 1985 All-Rookie First Team. In the same year, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
He was an NBA Champion twice in 1994 and 1995. In both years, Olajuwon was named the NBA Finals MVP. Also in 1994, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. He is a 12-time NBA All-Star. He was first named an All-Star in 1985. He has also been named to the All-NBA First Team six times.
In 1993, he received the IBM Award. Twice he has led the NBA in rebounds, in 1989 and 1990. He also led the NBA in blocks in 1990, 1991, and 1993.
In 2001, Olajuwon refused a US$13 Million deal with the Rockets and as such, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors. He played for one season with the Raptors before a back injury convinced him to retire.
After his retirement, the Rockets also decided to retire Jersey No.34 in his honor. He was later named to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Career Highlights
- 1994, 1995 - NBA champion
- 1994, 1995 - NBA Finals MVP
- 1994 - NBA Most Valuable Player
- 1985–1990, 1992–1997 - NBA All-Star
- 1987–1989, 1993, 1994, 1997 - All-NBA First Team
- 1986, 1990, 1996 - All-NBA Second Team
- 1991, 1995, 1999 - All-NBA Third Team
- 1993, 1994 - NBA Defensive Player of the Year
- 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994 - NBA All-Defensive First Team
- 1985, 1991, 1996, 1997 - NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- 1985 - NBA All-Rookie First Team
- 1993 - IBM Award
- 1989, 1990 - NBA rebounding leader
1990, 1991, 1993 - NBA blocks leader
- No. 34 retired by the Houston Rockets
NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th)
- 1983 - NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player
- 1984 - Consensus first-team All-American
- 1984 - NCAA rebounding leader
1984 - SWC Player of the Year
No. 34 retired by Houston Cougars
- 2018 - Houston Sports Hall of Fame
- 1998 - Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Career NBA Statistics
- Points - 26,946 (21.8 ppg)
- Rebounds - 13,747 (11.1 rpg)
Blocks - 3,830 (3.1 bpg)
- Basketball Hall of Fame as a player
- FIBA Hall of Fame as a player
Medal Record, Men’s basketball, representing the United States
- Gold - 1996 Olympic Games Atlanta
