At the age of 17, he began playing basketball. Olajuwon dominated at both ends of the floor, and the Rockets took the seven-game series in four games. His parents owned a cement business. But a year later, in 2002, he retired from professional basketball career. However, there is no information about her exact date and place of birth. Additionally, Hakeem was drafted by the Houston Rockets as a first overall selection of the 1984 NBA draft. My dad always told me that basketball was where it is I had the size and I had the strength, and he just saw the potential, the younger Olajuwon said. He was ultimately unable to replicate his past triumphs, averaging career lows of 7.1 points and six rebounds per game. Background Hakeem Olajuwon was born on January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria. The 1993/94 season was the peak of Olajuwons career. Call. For example, he buys large undeveloped plots of land near transportation lines and popular highway exits. As per his birth details, Hakeem holds both the nationality of the United States and Nigeria. Under Tomjanovich the team began to once again post wins, making it into the second round of the NBA playoffs before losing to the Seattle Supersonics in seven games. This name was given to him because he used to dunk so effortlessly that his coach from the college said it just looked like a dream to him. In this article on Hakeem Olajuwon biography, childhood, career, personal life and facts, well review his life as well as his ascent to the top of his basketball career. She flourished in her final year after playing behind Courtney and Ashley Paris. New to basketball and unaware of the various skills, such as dunking, a coach tried explaining to him what it meant to dunk, while standing on a chair. At the end of the season Olajuwon's contract expired, and Houston management decided to free themselves of Olajuwon's hefty salary and traded their premiere center to the Toronto Raptors. Hakeem Olajuwon is a Nigerian-born American former professional basketball player who led the Houston Rockets to consecutive National Basketball Association (NBA) championships in 1994 and 1995. He has created many records among them is the winning of both Defensive Player of the Year award and Finals MVP awards during the season 1993-94. The duo most famously was the reason that Houston Rockets were a part of the NBA Finals in 1986. At the time of his retirement, Olajuwon ranked 7th in career points scored in the NBA (26,946) and 11th in career rebounds (13,748); he was also the league's all-time leader in blocked shots (3,830).After retirement, in the 2006 NBA offseason, Olajuwon opened his first Big Man Camp, where he teaches young frontcourt players the finer points of playing in the post. { For NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon though, it was always a sport he wanted to see his sons pursue. Olajuwon said Price and his Clements teammates have been a big reason for the development of his confidence, and in turn, his game. Also, he belongs to the ethnic group the African. daughters Aisha and Rahmah and sons Abdullah and Abdul. When he visited the University of Houston, he was chosen to play for the university team and played for three years with them from 1981 to 1984. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808965&cache=false" Hakeem Olajuwon sat with the rest of Abi's family, and was easy to spot: the Hall of Famer wore a bright green polo shirt in a sea of Sooners crimson. How Much is Schae Harrison Net Worth? Olajuwon averaged 27.8 points and 10.8 rebounds during the season, and in the game that clinched the series, recorded 39 points and 17 rebounds. She was 18 when they got married. After turning down a $13 million deal with the Rockets, Olajuwon was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2001. Olajuwon has an 8-year-old daughter, Abisola, from a previous relationship. At the time of his retirement, Olajuwon ranked 7th in career points scored in the NBA (26,946) and 11th in career rebounds (13,748); he was also the league's all-time leader in blocked shots (3,830). "So, that's why I moved them back here.". Born: January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria ng College: Houston High School: Muslim Teachers College in Lagos, Nigeria During the 2000-01 season Olajuwon was diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg and benched while he took a series of blood thinners. He was picked up in the 1984 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. Olajuwon said Price and his Clements teammates have been a big reason for the development of his confidence, and in turn, his game. In the summer of 1984, Olajuwon was considered the top college prospect over teammates and future NBA players Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton, and was picked for the first time in the 1984 NBA draft by the Rockets. He is also one of the only four players in NBA history to have scored a quadruple-double. ""I've now been in this country for thirteen years, since I was seventeen. Advertise with us Olajuwon spent the summer after his freshman year playing basketball at Houston's Fonde Recreation Center, where he gained toughness in frequent match-ups against the bruising Moses Malone, who was then playing for the Houston Rockets.In his first year of college basketball, Olajuwon played a minimal role in the Houston Cougars run to the 1982 Final Four, where they lost to the University of North Carolina. During his childhood, Olajuwon played as a soccer goalkeeper. You can read up on where "The Dream's" kids will take on prep school hoops in Houston through our partners VYPE Houston. Olajuwon said he's usually back in the United States for the summer, when the Sooners aren't playing. This is the best team Ive played for. Chucky Atkins of the Detroit Pistons stretches for a shot against Dell Curry and Hakeem Olajuwon of the Toronto Raptors during game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals series during the 2002 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre (now Scotiabank Arena) in Toronto, Canada. "You feel goose bumps," Hakeem Olajuwon said. He is best known for playing the center position for the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors from 1984 to 2002 within the National Basketball Association (NBA). Not to mention, Hakeem is the only player in NBA history to retire in the top ten for all four categories. Abisola who is Hakeem's daughter from the aforementioned previous relationship has since followed in the footsteps of her father by professionally playing basketball. With basketball becoming a viable option, Abdul admitted that once he played it, things changed. Hakeem Olajuwon. Hes realizing that its just basketball and its not open heart surgery, Price said. Olajuwon can speak French, Arabic as well as his native language, Yoruba. If you have concerns about something that doesnt look right in this Hakeem Olajuwon Biography, Childhood, Career, Life, Facts, please dont hesitate to contact us. All Sources of Income, Jonathan Cheban Plastic Surgery Before & After Picture. Pronunciation: \ah-KEEM ah-LAH-zhoo-wahn\. After three months, they forgot about soccer. Additionally, he has collected $97,356,426 as his entire career earnings, playing 14 seasons in NBA. He fell out with the Rockets management, but he returned in good form for the 1992/93 season, where he finished runner-up in the MVP race. "I don't think Michael had to retire for us to get the spotlight, because when you win, it commands attention. His height is 2.13 m tall, and his weight is 116kg. "When we used to play soccer, I was more passionate than everybody," Abdul, whose favorite NBA players are Golden State's Steph Curry and Sacramento Kings' De'Aaron Fox, said. That's the same as earning around $27 million in today's dollars. Besides, the couple is a proud parent of three daughters, Rahmah and Aisha Olajuwon, Abi Olajuwon. Oak pollen already a big problem, but strong storms could wash it away, Man admits to sex trafficking waitresses out of family-owned cantina, At least 36 dead, 66 injured after trains collide in Greece: officials. var s = d.createElement('script'); s.type='text/javascript';s.async=true; 11445 Compaq Center West Dr, Houston, Texas, United States. A comprehensive reference work on the development of athletics in the United States; this encyclopedia examines the sporting experience of Native Americans, African Americans and the immigrant groups of the United States from Colonial times to the present. He endorsed Spalding shoe, the Dream which sells as low as $35. But the younger Olajuwon has actually only been working at the sport for about five years, and did not grow up playing it. The a 6-foot-3 slasher, whom Price described as a jack of all trades that can do most anything asked of him on the court, has a wealth of basketball knowledge at his disposal. Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets during the game against the Vancouver Grizzlies on November 9, 2000 at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. Here are some notable quick facts that you should know about the retired Nigerian -American basketball legend. Read More . var p = 'https:' == document.location.protocol ? You've gotta be natural.". Shocked by the hustle and bustle of the airport and New York's cold weather, he cancelled his trip to St. John's and flew straight to Houston, where he asked a taxi driver to take him to the "University of Austin." HOOP 'DREAM': The Houston Rockets legend said he's putting his two sons in position to follow him. As of March 2023, Hakeem Olajuwon has a net worth of $230 Million. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808950&cache=false" Hakeem Olajuwon was born on 21 January 1963, in Lagos, Nigeria into a middle-class Yaruba family, and is a popular former basketball player. The year proved to be a turning point for Olajuwon and the Rockets. Although the Rockets faced disappointment the next year, Olajuwon continued his personal professional success, leading the league in rebounds and blocks. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808958&cache=false" 'https' : 'http'; Once again, he was named the Finals MVP, and became the only Rockets All-Star. Hakeem Olajuwon was born on January 21st, 1963, in Lagos, Nigeria. Olajuwon did not play basketball until late 1978 when, at the age of fifteen, he joined the school's basketball team coached by Ganiyu Otenigbade, who taught him to play the center position.Richard Mills, a United States coach who was head of the Nigerian National Sports Coaching Institute, spotted Olajuwon playing in a pick-up game in Lagos and invited him to play with the Nigerian National Team. The two tied the knot of husband and wife in August 1996. 34 jerseys. He went on to attend the University of Houston. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808944&cache=false" He also won an Olympic gold medal in 1996. Selected to twelve NBA All Star games, Olajuwon holds the NBA record for blocked shots (3,830) and is the only player to record more than 3,000 blocked shots and 2,000 steals in a career. http://www.BoredFIlmGrads.comhttp://www.Facebook.com/BoredFilmGrads@BoredFIlm But you don't have to look at boundaries when you are looking at a man - at the character of a man. As of January 2023, Hakeem Olajuwon has a net worth of $230 Million. The couple has two children. Following his retirement from the NBA, Olajuwon found significant success in the Houston real estate market. He remains the only player to do so in NBA history. Olajuwon subsequently immigrated to the US to play basketball with the University of Houston Cougars. Being born on 21 January 1963, Hakeem Olajuwon is 60 years old as of todays date 1st March 2023. In his first year in the University, the NCAA didnt give him clearance to play and thus he was redshirted. New to college, Olajuwon wasnt a recruit that scouts rallied to sign, but a friend to the Houston varsity coach, Guy Lewis, recommended Olajuwon to Lewis after he saw Olajuwon play. In 1993, he also adopted American citizenship. Meanwhile, Olajuwon finished second to Charles Barkley in the MVP race. Abi Olajuwon, Aisha Olajuwon, Rahmah Olajuwon: Parents: Salim Olajuwon, Abike Olajuwon: Siblings: Akinola Olajuwon, Afis Olajuwon, Tajudeen Olajuwon, Yemi Kaka . ""I remember at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Shaq always wanted me to show him steps over and over. She is a Nigerian citizen, whereas her ethnicity is Hausa-Fulani. But since men and women are separated when praying, he did not meet his future bride or her mother until a meeting was arranged. He tells me what Im doing right and what Im doing wrong Ive just got to take it the right way. 142k Followers, 1 Following, 30 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Hakeem Olajuwon (@thedr34m) During the height of his career, Olajuwon was selected as a member of the 1996 US Olympic basketball team, dubbed Dream Team II. Following the 1983/84 seasons, Olajuwon made the decision to enter the NBA Draft. Olajuwon also has daughter, Abisola Olajuwon, who was drafted by the Chicago Sky of the WNBA in 2010 and played for the Tulsa Shock in 2011. "Hes seen that he can get some things done on the court, so his confidence has really grown. He also had an affair with a girl; whom he met in college and has a daughter with her as well, named Abisola. Although we don't have super-soldier serums, Iron Man suits, or soundless . She belongs to a mixed (Nigerian-African) ethnicity and holds a Nigerian nationality. In fact, the member of the historic Phi Slamma Jama-era at the University of Houston made a. He is the oldest son of former Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon, an NBA Hall of Famer who was a 12-time all-star and the 1993-1994 NBA Most Valuable Player. Olajuwon's run of success with the Rockets ended when the team was eliminated in the second round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. Hakeem Olajuwon of the Toronto Raptors looks to pass the ball as he is guarded by Popeye Jones of the Washington Wizards during the game at the Air Canada Centre (now Scotiabank Arena) in Toronto, Canada. The 1996 Summer Olympics gold medalist, Hakeem Olajuwon, was born on January 21, 1963, in Lagos, Nigeria. Everybody wanted to play it, and so thats what I did.. Family Life He married Dalia Asafi in 1996 as per an arranged marriage. Facing star center Ewing and the New York Knicks in the NBA finals, Olajuwon won his first NBA title, defeating the Knicks in seven games. Olajuwon is a practicing Muslim, and has talked about studying the Qur'an every day. His parents owned a cement business. ""When I look at the system here and look at my position - not just as a basketball player, but when I look around me at the values of the people and the culture and compare them with the values of where I came from - I feel so blessed to be from Africa. Price also said Olajuwon has always had raw skill, and been coachable from the moment he got to Clements. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In 1983 Olajuwon blossomed as a player, leading Houston on a twenty-two-game winning streak while averaging over twenty points and twenty rebounds per game. Later, while attending the Muslim Teachers College, he began playing basketball when he entered a local tournament. "Then we made a deal, once they tasted basketball they'd forget about soccer. In this. Obviously my dad has the experience so he tells me what to do, and Ive seen the results, he said. ""My background playing soccer gave me a natural advantage over many of the American-born players. And once he played for the first time around age 12, he was hooked. Dalia Asafi may be earning a good amount of money from the profession she is involved in. Guard Trajan Langdon of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over center Hakeem Olajuwon of the Toronto Raptors during the NBA game at Gund Arena (now Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse) in Cleveland, Ohio. He's the son of NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, but not many people have heard of him. Likewise, he guided Houston Rockets to NBA Championships in 1994 and 1995. 10. 34 -- just like her dad wore with the Rockets. Memorabilia in Baybrook Mall hosts a Hall of Fame afternoon with Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon ( taking pictures with fans and signing autographs. Moreover, Olajuwon is also aurthor of the book named, Living the Dream, which is an autobiography about him and was published in 1996. He led the league in rebounds that season, but the Rockets were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. Olajuwon married Dalia Asafi on August 8, 1996. He led the Cougars to three consecutive Final Four appearances from 1982 to 1984, and was named the Most Outstanding Player in 1983. Ultimately, he ended his professional playing career as the all-time league leader in total blocked shots, with 3,830. Growing up there and later in the UK, Abdullah didn't initially show much interest in basketball; the sport wasn't as widely appreciated in that region. Besides this, there is no information concerning her early life and family background. However, there is no further information about her family background, just like another NBA star's wife, Tamara Houston. "You want her to do so well, and win so bad. 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