Olajuwon vs Adetokunbo: Greatest Ethnic Nigerian Player Ever?

[Oscar9992]

Which one of these two 'Yoruba Kings' is the Greatest Ethnic Nigerian Player Ever?


Giannis Sina Ugo Adetokunbo* (ethnic Yoruba):
1x NBA Champion (2021)
1x NBA Finals MVP (2021)
2× NBA Most Valuable Player (2019, 2020)
1x NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
5× NBA All-Star (2017–2021)
3× All-NBA First Team (2019–2021)
2× All-NBA Second Team (2017, 2018)
3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2019–2021)
1x NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2017)
NBA Most Improved Player (2017)
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2014)

* - Antetokounmpo is a greek spelling of Yoruba surname 'Adetokunbo'





Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (ethnic Yoruba):
2× NBA champion (1994, 1995)
2× NBA Finals MVP (1994, 1995)
1x NBA Most Valuable Player (1994)
2× NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1993, 1994)
12× NBA All-Star (1985–1990, 1992–1997)
6× All-NBA First Team (1987–1989, 1993, 1994, 1997)
3× All-NBA Second Team (1986, 1990, 1996)
3× All-NBA Third Team (1991, 1995, 1999)
5× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994)
4× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1985, 1991, 1996, 1997)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1985)
2× NBA rebounding leader (1989, 1990)
3× NBA blocks leader (1990, 1991, 1993)





HM: Andre Iguodala (Edo Ethnicity), Bam Adebayo (Yoruba Ethnicity)

[Oscar9992]

Two Yoruba Kings... Hakeem 'The Dream' Olajuwon & Giannis 'Greak Freak' Adetokunbo?

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[Infinite Llamas]

Folks can claim that the only reason Dream won was because Jordan retired but winning with Mad Max and Otis Thorpe as your #2 and #3 is no small task.

Both fantastic players but Hakeems game had so much more polish so I’ll pick him at this point.

[gmoney411]

Hakeem is the better shooter, passer, defender and a more well rounded offensive player. Giannis has a long way to go before he catches up.

[MeloNY]

Olajuwon still has the title but Giannis has put him on notice.

[dygaction]

Hakeem is the better shooter, passer, defender and a more well rounded offensive player. Giannis has a long way to go before he catches up.

Others agreed but you cannot be serious about passer. Dream could pass the test as a big but Giannis is at an elite level.

[ThumbsUpBaby]

It's Olajuwon right now, but Giannis definitely can take over his spot.

[HotRocks34]

Dream

At least for now

Hakeem was absolutely mega-dominant at his peak. More so than Giannis is yet. But Giannis can get there, he's not far off.

[gmoney411]

Hakeem is the better shooter, passer, defender and a more well rounded offensive player. Giannis has a long way to go before he catches up.

Others agreed but you cannot be serious about passer. Dream could pass the test as a big but Giannis is at an elite level.

You might be right. I think of Giannis as more of a playmaker than a passer but at this point that probably makes him a better passer because Dream was mostly just dumping the ball off out of the post or kicking it out to shooters.

[NZB2323]

Giannis at age 26 > Hakeem at age 26

Hakeem’s career > Giannis’s career

[DCasey91]

Hakeem is the better shooter, passer, defender and a more well rounded offensive player. Giannis has a long way to go before he catches up.

Dream is my favorite player. Giannis is a better passer age for age.

I mean from my rank all time 10-15. Hakeem, Kobe, Robertson, Garnett, Erving, Dirk.

Giannis is right there and then some.

But yes Hakeem probably did the most with the least inside the top ten all time.

Hakeem today would legit be best player or very very close to it.

[SeniorWalker]

It's still Hakeem but Giannis has a great chance to catch him in the coming years.

[DCasey91]

Hakeem is the better shooter, passer, defender and a more well rounded offensive player. Giannis has a long way to go before he catches up.

Others agreed but you cannot be serious about passer. Dream could pass the test as a big but Giannis is at an elite level.

You might be right. I think of Giannis as more of a playmaker than a passer but at this point that probably makes him a better passer because Dream was mostly just dumping the ball off out of the post or kicking it out to shooters.

Everything hit perfectly. But Hakeem for me had his top 3 best passing game ever in Game 7 in the infamous Knick Finals. What a time to bring his A game passing chops out.

But overall I slight with Giannis as being the better passer.

[gmoney411]

Giannis at age 26 > Hakeem at age 26

Hakeem’s career > Giannis’s career

What if I told you that 23 year old Hakeem beat the defending champion showtime Lakers that had Magic, Kareem, and Worthy, and then took the Bird Celtics to 6 games in the finals? Would that change your opinion?

23 year old Hakeem averaged 31 points 11 rebounds 2 assists 2 steals and 4 blocks in the WCF against the defending champion Lakers. And not only did he lead the Rockets to victory, he did it in 5 games. Hakeem didn't really hit his prime until the early 90s. But he was an absolute force the minute his career started. If he had gotten a Pippen level teammate early on Jordan's legacy might look really different.

[DCasey91]

I wish Dream ended up on the Blazers or the Bulls by god as soon as 87 it’s chip town galore for both squads.

Blazers were hella deep.

[gmoney411]

I wish Dream ended up on the Blazers or the Bulls by god as soon as 87 it’s chip town galore for both squads.

Blazers were hella deep.

As a Rockets fan I don't wish that but I sure wish we had made the early trade for Clyde when we had the chance. A Dream/Clyde duo would have battled Jordan/Pippen for league supremacy.

[Egg Nog]

Folks can claim that the only reason Dream won was because Jordan retired

Yeah, and those folks don't realize that during the "threepeat" seasons prior to Jordan's retirement the Rockets were 5-1 against Jordan's Bulls.

It was the Bulls' worst matchup in the league by far. They had no real answer for Hakeem.

[Winsome Gerbil]

Not yet for Giannis.

But this, and the other threads I am letting die down, will feed into my eventual planned thread on how high on the all time lists do you think Giannis could reach? Hakeem is normally ranked about #9-10, so if you are seriously arguing that Giannis could pass him, you are talking about a top 10 all time player.

And of course longevity is never guaranteed -- think how dramatically the story and sentiment would differ right now if the knee injury vs. Atlanta had been a torn ACL after all. Then his team gets swept out, Giannis is never a champion, and he's out for the next year with no absolute guarantee of being the same guy. Injuries are impossible to account for.

[WeSkrongDen]

Giannis will pass him by the end of his career definitely. He's only 26.

[Shock Defeat]

Folks can claim that the only reason Dream won was because Jordan retired but winning with Mad Max and Otis Thorpe as your #2 and #3 is no small task.

Both fantastic players but Hakeems game had so much more polish so I’ll pick him at this point.

Those same folks better be claiming that Giannis only won a title because Harden and Irving got hurt