Monday, 02 June 2025

Hakeem Olajuwon

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Athletes 2025
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Basketball
Statistics: 2 NBA Championships (1994 & 1995)
1 MVP (1994)
2 NBA Finals MVP (1994 & 1995)
2 Defensive Player of the Year Awards (1993 & 1994)
6 All-NBA First Team Selections (1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994 & 1997)
5 All-Defensive First Team Selections (1987, 1988, 1990, 1993 & 1994)
12 All-Star Games Selections (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 & 1997)
2 Rebounding Titles (1989 & 1990)
3 Blocks Title (1990, 1991 & 1993)
1 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Award (1983)
1 NCAA Rebounding Title (1984)
1 SWC Player of the Year Award (1984)
26,946 NBA Points
13,747 NBA Rebounds
3,830 NBA Assists
1 Olympic Gold Medal (1996)
Member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Member of the FIBA Hall of Fame
Number retired by the Houston Rockets
Number retired by the University of Houston
Named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team.
Named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
From Nigeria, Hakeem Olajuwon arrived in the United States and would play for the famed “Phi Slama Jama” Houston Cougars team that reached three straight Final Fours. Olajuwon, with his ability to dunk and rim protect, fell in love with the city of Houston. Luckily for him, the Houston Rockets had the number one pick in the 1984 Draft, and he spent the majority of his career in the state of Texas.

Olajuwon might have been overshadowed by the man taken number three in that draft (Michael Jordan), but Houston was happy with who they landed. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA Titles (1994 & 1995) while winning an MVP and two Defensive Player of the Year trophies in the same timeframe.

One of Olajuwon’s most significant accomplishments is that he had the opportunity to represent his adopted nation when he was part of the Dream Team II at the 1996 Olympics. He won Gold at that tournament, which might have meant more to the only man on that team who was an American by choice.

We are proud to nominate Hakeem Olajuwon for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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