YouTube Gold: Hakeem The Dream Was A Nightmare
Imagine trying to control someone who can play like this
Recency bias is a real thing and it’s natural too. People who saw Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in their prime swear they were the best. People who came up with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a healthy Bill Walton swear by them. And people who witnessed young Shaquille O’Neal swear by him just as fervidly.
But you could make an argument for Hakeem Olajuwon too.
He’s not as strong as Wilt or Shaq but he’s far more agile than either. He gave Kareem fits and Walton nightmares.
When you watch him here in the 1997 Western Conference Finals, you see a guy who is capable of near superhuman feats. He racked up 49 points, 25 boards and six blocks here. His shot blocking was insane. His athleticism was unbelievable. In his prime, he moved like a panther.
The game has moved to the perimeter now and everyone is expected to have a total game, positionless basketball etc. But if a talent like this came along today, with the court spread wide open, no one would care if he could hit threes or handle the ball.
A talent like this would bend the game.