It’s loopy to suppose that not many NBA followers speak about Hakeem Olajuwon these days.
He had one of many biggest seasons in NBA historical past, even changing into the one participant in NBA historical past to win the MVP, the Championship, the Finals MVP and Defensive Participant of the Yr awards in the identical season.
Nonetheless, regardless of his infamous abilities, there was a short time when Sam Cassell wasn’t that impressed by him.
Speaking to Draymond Inexperienced for his podcast, he admitted that he was unfazed by Hakeem when he was first drafted by the Houston Rockets, as he was out of practice throughout coaching camp.
The Rockets didn’t win a single sport within the preseason, and when Cassell requested Olajuwon about that, he was unbothered.
Then, hastily, he flipped the change throughout opening evening, going from a 0-8 preseason to a 21-0 begin to the common season (by way of The Quantity).
“This the baddest dude within the sport of basketball”
—Sam Cassell tells @Money23green what it was prefer to play with Hakeem Olajuwon pic.twitter.com/Aev6GPe2IN
— The Quantity (@TheVolumeSports) August 17, 2024
There, Cassell knew he was enjoying with the baddest dude within the league.
Olajuwon made probably the most of Michael Jordan’s temporary hiatus, dominating the NBA to win a few championships.
He was as dominant as a shot-blocker and a rebounder as he was clean as a scorer.
His footwork continues to be the blueprint not just for huge males but in addition for gamers as an entire, and never many gamers have been as dominant within the put up as he was.
Hopefully, in the future he’ll get the popularity he so clearly deserves, as he has a case for being one of many three greatest huge males this sport has ever seen, perhaps even the second-best behind solely Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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