Hakeem Olajuwon made history in the 1993-94 season by becoming the first player to receive the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards all in the same season.
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Throughout his 18-year career, Nigeria-born Hakeem Olajuwon established himself as one of the NBA’s greatest players. Having been lauded for his physical prowess since his time at the University of Houston, his exceptional and efficient style of play, epitomized by leading the Houston Rockets to two consecutive NBA titles, secured his spot among the game’s elite.
In the 1993-94 season, he had an exceptional year, achieving the distinction of being the first player to receive NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and NBA Finals MVP in the same season. In the subsequent season, he led the Rockets to recover from a sixth seed in the playoffs, securing their second consecutive NBA championship. This achievement positioned Houston as the fifth NBA team in history to win consecutive titles.
The third child in a family of six, Olajuwon learnt the fundamental values that drove him towards success from his middle-class parents who owned a cement business in Lagos, Nigeria.
Hakeem Olajuwon, who was a 12-time All-NBA player and a 2-time Finals MVP, employed both finesse and strength to guide the Rockets to two championships in the mid-1990s.
“The NBA great has stated, ‘They educated us on honesty, the value of hard work, respecting our elders, and self-belief,'”
Olajuwon, whose name means “always being on top,” didn’t start playing basketball until he was 15. He attended the Muslim Teachers College, which participated in the All-Nigeria Teachers Sports Festival’s basketball tournament in Sokoto. However, Olajuwon was initially part of the handball team. A classmate requested the coach to let Olajuwon join the basketball team. The coach agreed, and thus began the journey of a basketball superstar.
He joined the University of Houston two years later under the name Akeem Abdul Olajuwon. Before entering the NBA, he stopped using “Abdul” and officially took on “Hakeem” on March 9, 1991. In the words of Shakespeare, a great basketball player would still be as great under any other name.
Despite starting his athletic career as a soccer goalkeeper and handball player, which significantly contributed to his footwork and agility that balanced his immense strength and size in basketball, he rapidly emerged as a dominant player at Houston. He participated in three seasons at Houston, assisting the Cougars to reach the Final Four each year.
Hakeem Olajuwon debuted for the Houston Rockets on Oct. 27, 1984.
In 1982, a Houston team featuring Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler reached the NCAA semifinals, only to lose 68-63 to the North Carolina Tar Heels, spearheaded by James Worthy and Michael Jordan. The following year, in the semifinals, the Cougars, now recognized as “Phi Slamma Jamma” for their aerial skills, outperformed a similarly athletic Louisville team 94-81 in what is arguably the most thrilling, high-energy performance the NCAA Final Four has ever witnessed. However, in a shocking turn of events, the Cougars were defeated 54-52 in an electrifying championship match by North Carolina State, a significant underdog, on a buzzer-beating shot.
During the 1983-84 season, Olajuwon had an average of 16.8 points and topped the NCAA in rebounding with 13.5 rpg, blocked shots with 5.6 per game, and field-goal percentage with .675. He was selected for the First Team All-America that season. However, his Cougars were defeated by Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas with a score of 84-75 in the championship game.
In 1984, following a coin flip win against the Portland Trail Blazers for the first pick in the NBA Draft — a year before the Draft Lottery was introduced — the Rockets chose Olajuwon. Despite the availability of the gifted Jordan (who was subsequently chosen third by the Chicago Bulls), the majority of the basketball world believed that Olujawon was the right first pick.
A year prior, the Rockets emerged victorious in a coin toss against the Indiana Pacers, which afforded them the opportunity to draft Ralph Sampson from the University of Virginia. This whimsical turn of fate from a coin flip resulted in the formation of the “Twin Towers” – the towering duo of 7-foot Olajuwon and 7-foot-4 Sampson, both of whom were nimble giants.
During his first year, Olajuwon had an average of 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds with a shooting percentage of .538 from the field. He was the runner-up to Jordan in the Rookie of the Year votes. The Rockets improved from a 29-53 record to a 48-34 mark after Olajuwon joined the team. However, they were knocked out in the first round of the 1985 NBA Playoffs by the Utah Jazz, losing in five games.
Olajuwon was fourth in the league for rebounding and second for blocked shots, averaging 2.68 per game. He participated in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game and earned a spot on both the NBA All-Rookie Team and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Alongside Sampson, they were the first pair of teammates since Chamberlain and Baylor in 1970 to average over 20 points and 10 rebounds each.
In the following year, Olajuwon and Sampson led the Rockets to the 1986 NBA Finals, defeating the current champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, in a five-game Western Conference Finals along the way. Olajuwon had an outstanding performance in the last three games of the series, scoring 40, 35, and 30 points respectively to propel the Rockets forward. However, the Rockets were outmatched by the Boston Celtics, who had previously won in 1981 and 1984. The Celtics’ powerful front line, consisting of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, led them to victory over the Rockets in six games.
Sampson started experiencing injuries in 1986-87 and was subsequently traded to the Golden State Warriors the next season. Meanwhile, Olajuwon’s performance steadily improved, establishing him as one of the top big men in the game. He led the Rockets in 13 categories, including scoring, rebounding, steals, and blocked shots. His excellence was recognized with consecutive selections to the All-NBA First Team from 1987 to 1989 and NBA All-Defensive First Team in 1987, 1988, and 1990. Additionally, he was the Western Conference All-Stars’ starting center for four consecutive years from 1987 to 1990.
Olajuwon consistently ranked among the league’s top performers in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, and steals. He secured rebounding titles in both 1989 and 1990, with average boards of 13.5 and 14.0, respectively. In 1989, he became the first player to rank in the league’s top 10 in scoring, rebounding, steals, and blocked shots for two consecutive seasons. In the same year, Olajuwon scored 18 points, secured 16 rebounds, blocked 11 shots, and assisted 10 times in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, achieving the uncommon quadruple-double. He was also the NBA’s leader in blocked shots per game in the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons, with averages of 4.59 and 3.95, respectively.
During his streak, Olajuwon managed to recover from two major injuries. In the middle of the 1990-91 season, he sustained a blowout fracture of the bones surrounding the eyeball after being elbowed in the eye by Bill Cartwright from the Chicago Bulls, resulting in him missing the next 25 games of the Rockets. Then, in the 1991-92 season, he was absent from seven matches at the start due to an episode of atrial fibrillation, a condition causing irregular heartbeat.
Even though Olajuwon played well, the Rockets had become mediocre since they reached the NBA Finals in 1986. They did not win a playoff series from 1988 to 1992. However, Olajuwon improved his game further in the middle of his career, starting in the 1992-93 season, and led the Rockets to greater heights of success.
Many believed that due to stalled contract negotiations, he had already played his final game for Houston at the close of the 1991-92 season. However, during a flight to Japan, where the Rockets were set to play the first two games of the 1992-93 season against the Seattle SuperSonics, Olajuwon and Rockets’ owner Charlie Thomas managed to resolve their disagreements. Over the subsequent three seasons, he would go on to average 26.1 points, 27.3 points, and 27.8 points respectively.
It’s uncertain if Olajuwon’s performance in the 1991-92 season was impacted by contract disputes, but he didn’t make it to either an All-NBA Team or an NBA All-Defensive Team for the first time in his career that year. However, his performance rebounded in the 1992-93 season. It was Coach Rudy Tomjanovich’s first complete season with the Rockets, and he encouraged the team to focus on defense and draw on Olajuwon’s energy.
The player, an eight-year veteran, was naturalized as a United States citizen on April 2, 1993, later in the season. His performance throughout the year was simply astounding, averaging 26.1 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 4.17 blocks. This achievement marked him as the league-leader in blocked shots for the third time in four seasons. Crucially, he guided the Rockets team to a 55-27 record and the Midwest Division championship, a significant improvement from their 42-40 finish the previous year.
In the 1995 Finals’ Game 1, Hakeem Olajuwon played a crucial role in overtime for the Rockets.
At the conclusion of the season, Olajuwon ended up being the runner-up to Charles Barkley for the NBA Most Valuable Player award. In addition to this, he was awarded the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the first time. He also returned to the All-NBA First Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Similar to Muhammad Ali, who was not only a devout Muslim but also the creator of the rope-a-dope strategy, Olajuwon introduced a fresh series of spins, fadeaway shots, and jumpers, making him nearly invincible on offense. The player nicknamed “Hakeem the Dream” had now crafted a unique set of movements involving impressive footwork and deceptive ball and head fakes, whether he was back to the basket or confronting opponents and outwitting defenders. These moves collectively became known as the “Dream Shake.”
In the 1995 postseason that ended with Houston’s second NBA championship, the Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs and the Orlando Magic. Both teams had excellent centers who were left puzzled by Olajuwon’s maneuvers.
In the 1995 playoffs, Hakeem Olajuwon executes a stunning low-post move against David Robinson.
In a story featured in Life magazine, David Robinson from San Antonio appeared bewildered. “Solve Hakeem?” Robinson questioned. “You can’t solve Hakeem.”
Shaquille O’Neal of Orlando was stunned after experiencing a Finals sweep, and shared the same sentiments. “He has approximately five moves with four counter moves,” O’Neal expressed in surprise. “That totals to about 20 moves.”
The transformation of this new Olajuwon was triggered by a conflict with management, leading him to introspect and refocus his efforts. His growth, both as a player and in his faith, was evident on the court as he assumed the role of a team leader, an offensive force, and a defensive pillar.
The Rockets’ transformation became evident as they made it to the Western Conference Semifinals in 1993. Despite this, they suffered a narrow loss in a difficult Game 7, with a score of 103-100 in overtime, against the Seattle SuperSonics. The SuperSonics were led by Gary Payton and a dynamic young player, Shawn Kemp.
In 1993-94, Olajuwon reached the height of success by securing both the league and NBA Finals MVP awards, leading Houston to its first NBA championship. After an outstanding regular season, the Houston center also received his second consecutive NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
After a hard-fought seven-game series, the Rockets emerged victorious over the New York Knicks, led by Patrick Ewing. The series could have ended in Game 6, but the center’s defensive skills thwarted the Knicks’ chance to tie the game when he blocked John Starks’ potential game-tying three-pointer in the final moments. The seasoned player, with a decade-long career, was exceptional in the Finals, averaging 29.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.86 blocks per game to secure the title for the Rockets.
Review the highlights of Hakeem Olajuwon’s top performances from the 1993-94 season.
During the 1994-95 season, Olajuwon achieved a career high of 27.8 points per game (ppg), alongside 10.8 rebounds per game (rpg). However, the Most Valuable Player Award was given to Robinson, who had led the Spurs to the top record in the NBA that year, despite Olajuwon’s remarkable performance. Olajuwon also set a new record for the Rockets as their all-time top scorer, surpassing Calvin Murphy early in the season. In addition, he was reunited with his college teammate Drexler in February, who was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Rockets in exchange for forward Otis Thorpe.
As the Rockets struggled to adapt to Drexler’s presence, they ended the season unevenly and entered the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Despite this, Drexler performed outstandingly in the playoffs, and Olajuwon averaged 33.0 points with a .531 shooting percentage, 10.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.81 blocks per game. This led Houston to its second consecutive championship. In the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs, Olajuwon outpaced Robinson by averaging 35.3 points compared to Robinson’s 25.5.
During the NBA Finals, the Houston Rockets faced off against the Orlando Magic and their rising star center, O’Neal. Both towering players performed similarly, with Olajuwon averaging 32.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, while O’Neal averaged 28.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists. However, the Rockets dominated, sweeping the series and becoming the fifth NBA team to secure consecutive championships. Due to his exceptional performance, Olajuwon was honored with his second successive NBA Finals MVP award.
Olajuwon is of the belief that his religious faith was the backbone of his successful career. He practiced the Islamic tradition of Ramadan during the NBA season, which includes fasting intervals. He would rise before sunrise to consume exactly seven dates, the conventional Muslim food for breaking a fast, along with a gallon of water. This would be followed by a prayer for strength, and he would abstain from food and drink until dusk.
Explore some of the most outstanding plays and moments from Hakeem Olajuwon’s 18-year NBA career.
Whenever he participated in an afternoon game, he would be gasping for water but wouldn’t consume a single drop. Yet, he would claim, “I feel incredibly energetic and dynamic. The moment I end my fast at sunset, the flavor of water becomes incredibly valuable.”
His exceptional dedication and performance earned him a mention among recent history’s greatest winners, such as Jordan, Bird, Magic Johnson, and Isiah Thomas.
Following their championship victory, Olajuwon consistently performed well for the next two seasons. Despite this, the team was eliminated by the Sonics in the 1996 conference semifinals. Even the acquisition of Barkley prior to the 1996-97 season, which significantly boosted the Rockets, did not prevent the team from losing to the Jazz in six games during the Western Conference Finals.
Olajuwon started missing games due to injuries from the 1997-98 season, playing only 47 games that year. He managed to resume a near full schedule in the 1998-99 lockout season. Yet, his performance started to decline and he averaged below 12.0 ppg and 7.5 rpg in his final two years in Houston. After 20 years of playing in Houston, including his college career, Olajuwon retired in 2001-02 following one season with the Toronto Raptors.
Rewind: Yao Ming and Hakeem Olajuwon’s workout session from the Vault.
However, his impact on the city was duly recognized. At the time of his retirement, he was the Rockets’ all-time leader in various categories, such as points, rebounds, steals, and blocked shots (with a record 3,830 in the NBA). His jersey, No. 34, was retired on November 9, 2002. During the ceremony, it was announced that a life-size statue of Olajuwon would be showcased at the Rockets’ new downtown arena, which was set to open for the 2003-04 season.
Nonetheless, owing to Olajuwon’s staunch Muslim principles, the Rockets decided to reveal a bronze statue in his honor outside the arena in 2006. In 2008, Olajuwon was bestowed with another accolade, being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Intriguingly, Ewing, his long-standing on-court adversary, was also part of the inducted class, further cementing their connection.
After his career as a player, Olajuwon dedicated many NBA offseasons to coaching young league stars like Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Amar’e Stoudemire and others. He focused on improving their post footwork.
In 2015, Olajuwon briefly returned to the basketball court during the NBA Africa Game. Donning his No. 34 Rockets jersey, he represented Team Africa and executed a turn-around jumper that thrilled the contemporary NBA stars of Team Africa and Team World.
