Houston Rockets: Argument for Hakeem Olajuwon as best center all-time
He revolutionized the position
Before Hakeem Olajuwon, centers never really fronted people. They were big boys down low who were bruisers that would put their back to the basket and then make a move towards the hoop. Hakeem would face up to the basket and played the position of center like a guard, giving him a huge advantage over the other big men of the time.
Most were big, but clunky movers with a few exceptions. Hakeem’s game was fluid and smooth.
Hakeem also had a great soft shooting touch, and while Kareem Abdul Jabar started the revolution of centers putting a little loft into their shot with his sky hook that was pretty much unguardable, Hakeem furthered that revolution to an absurd extent.
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Much like Kareem’s sky hook, Hakeem’s patented dream shake was just as devastating a move. Faking one way with ball in hand and then fading away from 18 feet over an outstretched arm of a defender from the base line and swish. Bottom of the net. No way to guard it.
Next time down the floor fakes one way with the ball fade away this time away from the baseline over outstretched arms and swish. Hakeem at his best was unstoppable.
While it’s clear that the numbers favor Chamberlain, Russell and Kareem, when you take into account the numbers Hakeem put up, against the level of competition he played against, with the lack of a supporting cast he had, along with some of the accomplishments that only he can claim, it’s not absurd to suggest that he is the greatest center of all time.
And looking back at his game now, you’d have to imagine if he came back into the league he would fit right in as a big man with range that can play like a guard. Even by today’s standard with centers having to expand their game, there’s not a big man that pirouettes and spins quite like Hakeem did.
Next: Ten best shots in team history
Of course the argument for the big three at the top of the best centers list can be had, but Hakeem should be in that argument as the fourth option to discuss. And these criteria prove it.