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Have you studied Hakeem’s game, and what do you take from it? Baba Oladotun: Yeah, man, my dad showed me a lot of footwork on Hakeem growing up. So a lot of my moves that I make, even on the perimeter and the post, are based on footwork. And Hakeem played soccer, and I played soccer as a kid, so a lot of the Dream Shake, obviously, you guys know that. A lot of up and under, step-throughs, turn-of-faces, all the moves that I got in my bag that are from Hakeem.
Jorge Sierra: Most blocks per game in NBA playoffs history (on record) Manute Bol: 2.7 Mark Eaton: 2.8 Hakeem Olajuwon: 3.3 VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: 5.6
Tim Reynolds: Wemby: 27 points, 11 rebounds, 7 blocks, 4 steals, 3 assists. Only Hakeem Olajuwon had done all that in a playoff game, until today.
Oh No He Didn't: Wemby on meeting Hakeem: "We met at the finals of NCAA. Right away he was very friendly and he told me right away that he wanted to share what he had what he knew. All the footwork stuff things that look easy but aren't but he makes them easier"
Wemby on meeting Hakeem:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 16, 2026
"We met at the finals of NCAA. Right away he was very friendly and he told me right away that he wanted to share what he had what he knew. All the footwork stuff things that look easy but aren't but he makes them easier" https://t.co/YbyaXKS17s pic.twitter.com/VCDwA5Cnwe
?NBA?: Nikola Jokic totals his 2nd career game with 30+ PTS, 10+ REB, 10+ AST and 5+ STL Only 3 other players have had multiple games of at least 30/10/10/5 since 1973-74: Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and James Harden.
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Thabeet, Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Olowokandi and Joel Embiid are the only Africans selected in the top three picks in NBA draft history. Thabeet is also the only East African to play in the NBA. “I was very inspired by the [African] guys who played before me,” Thabeet said. “Rest in peace to the great Dikembe Mutombo and many more that I’ve met in settings like Basketball Without Borders, Giants of Africa with Masai [Ujiri], NBA Africa with Amadou [Fall]. I’ll go to these meetings and then they look at me like, ‘Man, you made it.’ And then I’m like, ‘Man, what if I played in the NBA for 20 years? Then these kids will think I’m a basketball god with what I’ve done just a few years in the pros.’ But they’re looking at me [positively]? I got to keep going.”
Dan Patrick: How would your Rockets have done against Jordan's Bulls? Robert Horry: We would have beat him. We would have beat him. You know, it’s… Everybody wants and everybody's like, "Well, Jordan actually loses sometime. All the greats lose sometime." If you just go by our record against the Bulls when we were there and we were pretty good. I think when it comes to matchups, and I think Vernon matching MJ was a pretty good matchup. Myself against Scottie was a good matchup… So now, who was gonna match up with Dream (Hakeem Olajuwon)? Nobody. So playing for Phil, and knowing Phil's mentality, I think we would have won that series. And I know a lot of people like, ‘man, you crazy!’ I'm like, people forget Jordan came back in ’95. He had a double nickel against the Knicks, but he got beat by the Orlando Magic. Why? Because his team wasn't good enough.
Charlie Villanueva: There's only five players in NBA histories with 17,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 1,500 steals, and a thousand blocks: Hakeem Olajuwon, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James and Shawn Marion. All those guys are Hall of Famers, except Shawn Marion.
Kevin Durant: This is my 19th season. Hakeem Olajuwon: I said KD can play as long as you want to play with the fundamentals. Durant: Somebody asked me if I can play until five more years. I'm like, damn, that's a long time, man. Five more. I'm 37. Olajuwon: Just take it one year at a time. That's why I say I take it a day at a time and see what happens. Durant: I just really want to get your view on the game today and the style of play, how you think is evolved from your time? Because a lot of cuz a lot of people frown upon how we play the game today. Olajuwon: Really? Durant: Yeah. Because the '90s era was just such a golden era for basketball and a lot of centers played, a lot of physicality and on our game was more spread out. A lot of three-point shots, a lot of scoring. Olajuwon: Today's game, there’s a lot of shooters. I mean, I've seen guys passing up a layup [laughter] and kick it for three. But they knock it down! You have to respect it. I've seen guys on the on the fast break just pull up for three. If you do it… Durant: I love that shot, too. And it's encouraged now that coaches want us to take those. Olajuwon: You have to adapt. I mean today's game is open, a lot of skilled players, physicality… A lot of athletes in the game today. You just have to enjoy the competition basically.
KD: “Somebody asked me if I can play five more years. I’m like, damn—that’s a long time. Five more… I’m 37.” Hakeem: “Just take it one year at a time.” KD: “That’s why I take it a day at a time and see what happens.”
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Growing up, he pored through old VHS tapes of superstars like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin McHale, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Nobody put more work in than him at becoming an old school post-up master. It took great humility to give that part of his game up. "Obviously, I love playing in the post. I will always love playing in the post. Any opportunity I get in there, I'm going to try to," Garza said. "But the role I have on this team emphasizes my screening, my ability to stretch the floor, crashing the glass. And having a role and being able to impact winning is amazing. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Giannis Antetokounmpo: I don't like working out with players that they play in the game today. I like working out with all-time greats. I'm not going to compete against them. And I want all of them to know that I respect them and value them, right? I've worked with Hakeem Olajuwon. I've worked with Kevin Garnett. I've worked with Kobe Bryant, I'm going to have the opportunity to work with Carmelo Anthony. I've talked on the phone with Scottie Pippen a lot of times. So, people that I can take stuff from them and add to my game. So, working out with Kobe was an incredible experience and I learned a lot of things. I had my notebook because I was younger back then. I was probably 22.
Shams Charania: I heard a funny story, you know, he spent a week in Houston working out with Hakeem Olajuwon. You know, every day they're having these on court sessions and then afterward they would play ping pong together. And someone around Wemby told me he literally lost every game against Hakeem Olajuwon in ping pong. He did not win once. Hakeem beat him every single time. But every day he was back at it wanting to play Hakeem at ping pong and he would just take L's and I'm like that's the only L he's taking all all summer all year like cuz then goes on the court and he's able to absorb all these lessons and just how dominant he looks his competitive fire I think is great to see.
