OT:Congrats to H.O.F. P.Ewing & H. Olajuwon!

[MilBucksBackOnTop06]

I think it would be remiss of us as NBA Basketball fans much less Milwaukee Bucks fans if we did not acknowledge the induction of two of the all time great NBA players in the history of the game...

There is one Patrick Ewing and Hakeem 'the Dream' Olajuwon, recently inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield Mass.

Two big time NBA Centers NBA titans. There are few I enjoyed watching on both ends of the floor then Ewing and Hakeem, both in college and the NBA.

They were the second coming of Russell vs Chamberlain in many ways. You don't see matchups like this anymore, nor building blocks such as they were.

Blocked shots, rebounds, points, toughness, skill, and two very class NBA guys. I will look forward to reading some of your comments on these two...

Was there a sweeter move of agility then Hakeem's 'Dream Shake?' Great moniker for a move too. I love that...

And Patrick Ewing played as hard and tenacious as any Center in history outside or perhaps Moses Malone and Dave Cowens with no ring.

There are just a hand full of guys who I feel sorry that they did not ever win a ring and I thought they both deserved and earned it. Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley, and then there is Karl Malone and John Stockton are a few who immediately come to mind...

And then there is . . .is Patrick Ewing. When I look at all the other jokers who play or sit on benches and ride on the coattails to steall one like Gary Payton and a few others, it is a shame Patrick could not nail one down.

But even still, he and Hakeem had great careers and let me be one of many to say, kudos to two great Hall of Fame inductees today...The Hall just got a lot richer with those two entering in.

Oh, and former Bucks player Adrian Dantley was not a bad player either...props to him too.

[emunney]

The Dream Shake will never die, and Hakeem is one of my all-time favorites. He was like all the best attributes of David Robinson and Tim Duncan combined.

[Rockmaninoff]

While I always appreciated Ewing, Olajuwon was greatness personified. I don't think there will ever be another big man like him. Duncan is close, but he doesn't have the same quickness. Maybe Bosh comes close eventually, but he'll have to really improve for that to happen. Amare doesn't have the the full package.

Here's a youtube clip of Olajuwon going through Ewing, Robinson, and O'Neal on the way to consecutive championships.

[Todd_Day]

Man.....the Dream is a top-5 all-time center.

I always liked Ewing and his game (Gold Club too! always entertaining)

But (H)akeem is one of my all-time faves.

Unstoppable.

[jerrod]

i'm a huge olajuwon fan, he's easily my favorite center of all time.


it was painful watching him absolutely destroy my favorite team of all time in the finals

[Dags]

It wasn't simply that Hakeem had an amazing offensive arsenal that makes me love his game, it was that he made it all look easy. I look at his clips and games and just wonder why so many big men struggle with post moves, or can't take the defender off the dribble. After all,when you watch him you just know that it's all obviously so simple.

[REDDzone]

Was a Rockets fan growing up because of Hakeem.

[Rockmaninoff]

i'm a huge olajuwon fan, he's easily my favorite center of all time.


it was painful watching him absolutely destroy my favorite team of all time in the finals

You mean this? Yeah, that Orlando team was pretty cool. I hate to say it, but I see the young Trailblazers following a similar arc.

[rilamann]

Man.....the Dream is a top-5 all-time center.

I always liked Ewing and his game (Gold Club too! always entertaining)

But (H)akeem is one of my all-time faves.

Unstoppable.

For that 2 year stretch ('94 & '95) Dream was on the same level as Jordan,unstoppable & unbeatable.

Both Ewing & Dream are two of my all time favorites and 2 guys I grew up watching.

I loved those Knick teams of the 90's,that was the one team that was not intimadted at all by Jordan's Bulls.

[dunhill]

A lot of people knock the Dream's two championships without Jordan around, but honestly I think they would've at least won one even if Jordan was around. The second championship team in particular was more than a match for the Bulls. Those two seasons from Hakeem were probably the most dominant I've seen from a centre ever. Offensively and defensively, most players can only do it on one end. He did it all in a halfcourt offense or a fast break offense. Demolishing David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Shaq, Mourning either all entering their prime or right in the middle of it was spectacular. One of the greatest hustle plays I've ever seen was Hakeem chasing down Kevin Johnson and swatting his layup from behind. (Mind you the greatst facial I've ever seen was KJ going baseline and stuffing it right in Hakeem's face)

[Jez2983]

Can you just imagine either of those 2 in the NBA today? Those were the times of some really fantastic centre/post players. I mean, there wasn't many who could stop or even slow them from scoring then in the days of increased defense, so in the more offense-minded NBA of today, and with the centres of today, those two would be putting up huge numbers.

Transcendent NBA talents. Nice thread, MMBOT.

[More Bang For The Bucks]

MBBOT........all I wanna know is.............will Olajuwon go to The Hall a Raptor, and Ewing a Sonic?

and will Olajuwon admit to the asterisks next to his 2 titles because Jordan was gambling EEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR....... playing baseball

and lastly, during his speech will Ewing say......."I made lot of money, but I spent a lot of money", and will he give props to the The Gold Club in the ATL?

[Nebula1]

Olajuwon was simply the best.