NBA Legend Hakeem Olajuwon Turns 52 + His Hall Of Fame Career

Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon was born January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria. He would grow up to become one of the greatest player in NBA history.

Olajuwon played soccer growing up. As a goalie, he gained the footwork that would help him on the basketball court. He, however, did not pick up a basketball until the age of 15, when he was taken by the game and never stopped playing. He would emigrate from Nigeria to the United States for college.

Olajuwon attended the University of Houston in 1980, but couldn’t clear NCAA regulations to play that season. Teaming up with Clyde Drexler and Michael Young (among others) to form Phi Slama Jama, Olajuwon would lead the Cougars to two straight NCAA championship games. Following his junior season, he opted to enter the 1984 NBA draft and was selected by the Rockets with the No. 1 overall pick.

The Rockets experienced immediate success with Olajuwon, winning 19 more games than the year before. He averaged 20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.68 blocks and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting to Jordan.

Olajuwon would continue to dominate the NBA for 17 more seasons. He would become a 12-time All-Star in that time, averaging 21.8 points per game and 11.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks. he was a blocking machine, and even once had a quadruple-double in a game in 1990 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

In 1994, he became the only player in NBA history to win the MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season.

Olajuwon would retire after the 2001-2002 season with the Toronto Raptors. In 2008 he would be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.

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About Unknown

Deji Sadiq, a.k.a DEJI OF LAGOS is a LASU trained Economist turned freelance journalist, a Blogger, an information strategist, a public affairs analyst and a committed activist with a passion for equal opportunities.