Hakeem Olajuwon might be the best player I've ever seen!

chuck_wagon44 · Post #1 » by **chuck_wagon44** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 12:41 pm

Forget best center of all time, this guy might be the best player I've ever seen OF ALL TIME! And I am being super honest and sincere!

Now I see why he was drafted over Jordan in 1984 draft! His accolades speak for itself but playing for a horrendous organization that never put good quality pieces around him....and he still managed to get 2 championships out of them. The were truly truly truly lucky to have him!

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70sFan · Post #2 » by **70sFan** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 12:55 pm

I don't blame you, Hakeem has a strong case for the GOAT peak in the league history. He has certain issues relative to the other GOAT candidates, but he was amazing.

God Squad · Post #3 » by **God Squad** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 12:59 pm

chuck_wagon44 wrote:Forget best center of all time, this guy might be the best player I've ever seen OF ALL TIME! And I am being super honest and sincere!

Now I see why he was drafted over Jordan in 1984 draft! His accolades speak for itself but playing for a horrendous organization that never put good quality pieces around him....and he still managed to get 2 championships out of them. The were truly truly truly lucky to have him!

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What?

God Squad · Post #4 » by **God Squad** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 1:01 pm

70sFan wrote:I don't blame you, Hakeem has a strong case for the GOAT peak in the league history. He has certain issues relative to the other GOAT candidates, but he was amazing.

Hakeem was amazing, but what's he on about the Rockets being a horrendous organization and never putting "quality pieces" around him?

perempe20 · Post #5 » by **perempe20** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 1:05 pm

Rony Seikaly was also a decent center. What is MJ doing there?

Ferulci · Post #6 » by **Ferulci** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 1:26 pm

Poor era: He played against Admirals, Mailmen, worms and even grandmamas! What competition is that?
In today's game, he would be Wendell Carter Junior.

chuck_wagon44 · Post #7 » by **chuck_wagon44** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 1:40 pm

God Squad wrote:
70sFan wrote:I don't blame you, Hakeem has a strong case for the GOAT peak in the league history. He has certain issues relative to the other GOAT candidates, but he was amazing.

Hakeem was amazing, but what's he on about the Rockets being a horrendous organization and never putting "quality pieces" around him?

Put him on the spurs and he would've had 10 championships.

Rockets didn't know how to build around him. Don't forget he demanded a trade and was formally traded to Clippers in 1992.

chuck_wagon44 · Post #8 » by **chuck_wagon44** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 1:41 pm

God Squad wrote:
chuck_wagon44 wrote:Forget best center of all time, this guy might be the best player I've ever seen OF ALL TIME! And I am being super honest and sincere!

Now I see why he was drafted over Jordan in 1984 draft! His accolades speak for itself but playing for a horrendous organization that never put good quality pieces around him....and he still managed to get 2 championships out of them. The were truly truly truly lucky to have him!

[x]

Read on Twitter
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What?

Terrible organization who didn't know how to build around a generational superstar. 2 championships only?

God Squad · Post #9 » by **God Squad** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 1:52 pm

chuck_wagon44 wrote:
God Squad wrote:
chuck_wagon44 wrote:Forget best center of all time, this guy might be the best player I've ever seen OF ALL TIME! And I am being super honest and sincere!

Now I see why he was drafted over Jordan in 1984 draft! His accolades speak for itself but playing for a horrendous organization that never put good quality pieces around him....and he still managed to get 2 championships out of them. The were truly truly truly lucky to have him!

[x]

Read on Twitter
[/x]

What?

Terrible organization who didn't know how to build around a generational superstar. 2 championships only?

He was playing in an era that had Bird/Magic, then the torch got passed to MJ. The fact that he got two (when MJ retired) is a testament to his talent. He's rated very highly because players and fans acknowledge his skills. Also, 2 championships isn't anything to scoff at :lol:

Iwasawitness · Post #10 » by **Iwasawitness** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 1:57 pm

chuck_wagon44 wrote:
God Squad wrote:
chuck_wagon44 wrote:Forget best center of all time, this guy might be the best player I've ever seen OF ALL TIME! And I am being super honest and sincere!

Now I see why he was drafted over Jordan in 1984 draft! His accolades speak for itself but playing for a horrendous organization that never put good quality pieces around him....and he still managed to get 2 championships out of them. The were truly truly truly lucky to have him!

[x]

Read on Twitter
[/x]

What?

Terrible organization who didn't know how to build around a generational superstar. 2 championships only?

I would've loved two championships when LeBron first started out with Cleveland...

Post #11 » by **og15** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 2:00 pm

chuck_wagon44 wrote:
God Squad wrote:
70sFan wrote:I don't blame you, Hakeem has a strong case for the GOAT peak in the league history. He has certain issues relative to the other GOAT candidates, but he was amazing.

Hakeem was amazing, but what's he on about the Rockets being a horrendous organization and never putting "quality pieces" around him?

Put him on the spurs and he would've had 10 championships.

Rockets didn't know how to build around him. Don't forget he demanded a trade and was formally traded to Clippers in 1992.

Please enlighten us as to who David Robinson played with before Tim Duncan, which was a situation the Spurs basically lucked into and finessed with Robinson missing a whole season. Then they had some early Euro scouting in the 00's when Hakeem would have been way past his prime.

Hakeem was 35 when Duncan was a rookie

Hakeem had better teams than Robinson, lol. Also it wasn't the Rockets fault that Ralph Sampson was 7'4 and fragile.

This is crazy

Post #12 » by **tsherkin** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 2:08 pm

This is some significant hyperbole, heh. And yes, the Rockets didn't do wonders around Olajuwon, though he was hardly alone in that regard. Robinson and Ewing weren't working with much either. San Antonio tanked and got lucky with Duncan. The Knicks full-sent on defense at the expense of offense.

And yeah, the Rockets were at least better than the Spurs roster-wise. And Samson's injury didn't help; that would have totally changed the late-80s and early-90s league dynamic, had he remained healthy.

Moose · Post #13 » by **Moose** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 2:34 pm

I still think he was better than Shaq.

Post #14 » by **tsherkin** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 2:48 pm

Moose wrote:I still think he was better than Shaq.

It's an interesting question. He was far better defensively, and his general availability was better than Shaq's. Rookie year through 97, he was about a 24/12/3 guy, and a killer on the O-boards (10.7% ORB). 104 TS+ in the RS, 107 in the playoffs. Shaq (cutting off 4 years younger because he stopped being a focal option far earlier due to Kobe reasons and joining Wade, etc) was about a 28/12/3 guy in his hey day, even more of a monster on the O-boards (12.1% ORB), shot almost 58% from the field (led the league in FG% 6 times in that span), was a 111 TS+ guy in the RS and 108 in the playoffs.

So, after that first pass, you can see some of the offensive value difference in the RS. More scoring on higher efficiency, better offensive-rebounding over the span (but we have 4 extra years of aging Hakeem, so if you use to the same age, it's basically identical; Shaq did just maintain better over time due to his size), obvious difference in foul pressure is also in there. He was a better passer, though it doesn't really show in pure APG (2.7 for Hakeem vs 2.8 apg for Shaq).

But that defense. It's a huge thing. And of course, Olajuwon was a better FT shooter with more range, too. And then their playoff scoring efficiency isn't very different at all.

There's a compelling argument to be made there.

SkyHook · Post #15 » by **SkyHook** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 2:48 pm

tsherkin wrote:This is some significant hyperbole, heh. And yes, the Rockets didn't do wonders around Olajuwon, though he was hardly alone in that regard. Robinson and Ewing weren't working with much either. San Antonio tanked and got lucky with Duncan. The Knicks full-sent on defense at the expense of offense.

And yeah, the Rockets were at least better than the Spurs roster-wise. And Samson's injury didn't help; that would have totally changed the late-80s and early-90s league dynamic, had he remained healthy.

Hakeem is in my top ten all time and Sampson is one of my favorite players. Their run in '86 at only 23 and 25 was something else. Had Ralph stayed healthy, I would have loved to see what they could have accomplished. The ultimate NBA "what if" for me.

SkyHook · Post #16 » by **SkyHook** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 2:49 pm

Moose wrote:I still think he was better than Shaq.

Absolutely.

Post #17 » by **tsherkin** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 2:56 pm

SkyHook wrote:Hakeem is in my top ten all time and Sampson is one of my favorite players. Their run in '86 at only 23 and 25 was something else. Had Ralph stayed healthy, I would have loved to see what they could have accomplished. The ultimate NBA "what if" for me.

Samson was neat. What he might have been had he remained healthy and was given a chance to improve could have been very cool. And the 86 run... well, I hate it because it meant the Lakers got roasted, but it WAS highly impressive, hehehe. They are a big what-if as a pair, no question.

dhsilv2 · Post #18 » by **dhsilv2** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 3:04 pm

chuck_wagon44 wrote:
God Squad wrote:
70sFan wrote:I don't blame you, Hakeem has a strong case for the GOAT peak in the league history. He has certain issues relative to the other GOAT candidates, but he was amazing.

Hakeem was amazing, but what's he on about the Rockets being a horrendous organization and never putting "quality pieces" around him?

Put him on the spurs and he would've had 10 championships.

Rockets didn't know how to build around him. Don't forget he demanded a trade and was formally traded to Clippers in 1992.

Hakeem isn't winning with Avery Johnson's spacing....

SkyHook · Post #19 » by **SkyHook** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 3:06 pm

tsherkin wrote:
SkyHook wrote:Hakeem is in my top ten all time and Sampson is one of my favorite players. Their run in '86 at only 23 and 25 was something else. Had Ralph stayed healthy, I would have loved to see what they could have accomplished. The ultimate NBA "what if" for me.

Samson was neat. What he might have been had he remained healthy and was given a chance to improve could have been very cool. And the 86 run... well, I hate it because it meant the Lakers got roasted, but it WAS highly impressive, hehehe. They are a big what-if as a pair, no question.

I was a massive Lakers fan then. '86 was heartbreaking, but '87 was the greatest finals ever.

bonita_the_frog · Post #20 » by **bonita_the_frog** » Fri Aug 22, 2025 3:13 pm

Its funny when some people compare Embiid to Olajuwon. Olajuwon was the most perfectly balanced center i've ever seen videos of, whereas Embiid is falling all over the place and lacks base strength or simply has wobbly legs.
And i get the impression Olajuwon would have been an excellent 3-point shooter if he attempted more...
I know Olajuwon only shot .202 for his career, but the most he ever attempted in a regular season was 19 (and he made 8 of them, for .421 !!).
And actually he only attempted ONE 3-pointer in the 1994 NBA Finals, and ONE 3-pointer in the 1995 NBA Finals, and he made both of them!