Greatest Big Man Ever - Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon (Career Documentary)
2023 ж. 18 Мам.
370 205 Рет қаралды
Today's video examines the career of possibly the greatest defensive basketball player ever. A case for greatest big man to ever play, Hakeem the Dream became the first international superstar of the sport. Hailing from humble beginnings, he left his mark on the sport, winning back to back titles and cementing himself as a top ten all time player. Dunking, blocking, spinning, the dream shake...relive it all. The epic battles against Ewing, and Robinson...or sweeping Shaq in the finals...Hakeem did it all and this original documentary covers it all.
Voice Over Narration by:
Andrew Scott
Never saw a better Center. Hakeem was simply amazing. What a class act.
"Class act", I hope that's a "The League" reference 😂
@@heybro6105 then dont pretend to be the leader of things that are not true. Hakeem is not even close to leader in blocked shots and anyone who has any knowledge of basketball knows this. Not even a notation about the paucity of stats. Expected better from this channel
@@LorolinAstori yeah he is little buddy. Off Olajuwon played in Wilt's era he would have double the amount of blocks he already has. Wilt's era was garbage and teams were taking 100-120 shots a game, Olajuwon was recording 300+ blocks a season against teams that only took like 80 shots a game
Whenever I hear class act I think Barry McCockiner
Shaq ?
He was top 10 in almost all categories when he retired. Truly amazing
He beat some all-time greats in the playoffs. What a champion. The GOAT centre.
He beat 4 of the all time top 10 centers in the WCF and Finals
@@hakeemolajuwon4352 Stockton and Malone. Barkley and the Suns. MVP Robinson w/ Rodman and the Spurs, then Shaq and Penny. Absolutely mental
@@FecalMatador don't forget Kevin Johnson, 3x all defensive Dan Marjerle, and 3x champ Horace Grant!
@@hakeemolajuwon4352 lol horace really?
@@themack5131 ye beat Horace when he was on the magic
As a nigerian, I have never been more proud. Really wish he was spoken a lot more like the other Legends cause he is the reason a lot of us here watch basketball
Nigerians love basketball too, after soccer. Soccer was his first sport. Olajuwon being a goalkeeper is what made him become the leader in blocked shots.
Hmmm interesting that you proud bc he Nigerian. Let us black americans say this about Jordan or anyone else it a issue
I think he’s the best center of all time. All Time starting 5 PG Magic SG MJ SF Bird PF Duncan C Olajuwon
@@hectorlopez1069in respect of the game call it football
@@BoosterGoldEarth6sensitive af lil boy
The PERFECT Center in any era. The only player that Jordan feared. Can't have a starting 5 without him in the lineup somehow.
Over Shaq ?
@@CSDonohue11 yes, shaq was dominant for a short period of time cuz he didn’t care enough. Hakeem the most skilled center ever, a better defender, and a better team player than shaq
@@CSDonohue11 Yes! All day long.
@@ballsballsballs3617 All day long.
@@CSDonohue11even Shaq says that Hakeem is better than him
There will never be another Hakeem.... Nothing but Respect from All of Houston Tx ClutchCity.....My favorite player all time
My favorite of all time as well !!!!!!!!!!!
Hakeem's footwork is one of a kind 👌
work of art 🖼️
Yes, that makes him better than the rest of the big men...
Very fluid and beautiful to see. Like a ballet dancer with a basketball 😁
It’s the best footwork of all time by any center
Nobody in NBA history has accomplished more with less help than Hakeem Olajuwon
Are you saying he’s the GOAT?
Bro Say Less Help 🤣
What about Brian Scalabrine? 🤔
@@AnonymousRandomGuy006He's not not the goat
Lebron James 💀
My favorite player of all time. I was blessed to be born in Houston, Texas to witness this great Nigerian legend. He once won All-star Mvp, Defensive Player of The Year, Finals Mvp all in the same season. He had quadruple doubles. Much love to Moses Malone for helping shape Hakeem into Dream. Love ya Mr. Olajuwon.
Yep!
A fellow Houstonian, I had freaking chill bumps watching this masterpiece!!
Yes sirrrr, hearing Bill Worrell and Calvin Murphy go crazy was the icing on the cake, so damn nostalgic..
Seeing Hakeem squaring up against Shaq and just dismantling him was on another level. And you could see on Shaq's face both in-game and after the series how stunned he was coz although a relatively new in the game he was already a force. Although it was a sweep all four games were fantastic and it was just beautiful to see how smooth and effortless everything Hakeem did. He's very deserving of being #1 big man in history of NBA.
Don't act like Shaq didn't get him back
@@BoosterGoldEarth6he didn't.
Same with David Robinson
@@BoosterGoldEarth6You will never hear about how Shaq destroyed Hakeem in '99 and if you do there will be an excuse
Best Center ever. Hakeem was the perfect combination of skill and force. An extremely skilled magician with the basketball. An MVP, a DPY and Finals MVP in the same season, that's absurdly good.
Wilt
@@VeggamatticI’d have to put Shaq, Bill, Kareem, and Jokic in that convo too
"Hakeeeeeem The Dreeeeeeeam O - la - ju - won" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Many thanks from France 🇫🇷 The most gifted center of all time with any doubt !!!
France? I'm so sad as a lifelong Rockets fan, i dreamed Wembenyama would train with Hakeem, but after i saw Wemby celebrate that the Rockets weren't getting him, he's our sworn enemy from this day forth!
@@HailKingCeezer It's always possible that Wenbenyama trains with The Dream. Le Bron did it in the past to improve his game at the post 😁😉 Moreover he will be able to train with Pop and Timmy 😏 Sorry for my bad English...
@@retrogamefan8682 Kobe, Dwight, Lebron etc worked with Hakeem, yes, but Hakeem has since been an employee of the Houston Rockets and is contractually allowed to only work with members of the Rockets.
Unstoppable center
France love basketball too. Well, soccer is big over there.
Never been this early for anything in my life. Hakeem is one of the greatest ever.
I still smile looking at these highlights, i was just a 13 year old kid enjoying this man’s basketball skills. What an honor he represented our city… H town!!
Shaq dominated everyone with his size (except Hakeem), but Olajuwon was a pure finesse. You watch him and then you realise he was just 3cm shorter than Shaq and still moved like a bloody basketball ninja. Also what a humble and kind person he is.
Best footwork in NBA history
Arguably the most skilled Big Man in NBA history
I concur
You have literally 2 more skilled in todays league and 3 if you count wemby
Hands down the most skilled big man of all time
@@rutgerwildenberg6333 Arguably brotha, I'll put Duncan and Weybenyamas potential against Hakeem but if your referring to Jokic, Embiid, and Antetokoumpo, although Jokers a better passer he pales defensively, Embiid isn't as fluid or dominant as Hakeem in the post, and Giannis has a even lesser skill set than Embiid but he's more dominant than Embiid. If Giannis improved his post bag then I'll qualify him as well.
@@rutgerwildenberg6333you are completely clueless about this sport kid
I swear Joe Vincent be reading my mind and making the exact doc I’m looking for. You sir are the GOAT
Fuck dude, you never miss. I'm glad you gave Hakeem some love. Dude was an absolute monster in his day. Well done.
I'm from Houston and this was my era as a kid watching not only too me but to alot of people even tho they hate to say it the best big man to ever play this game of basketball. You can say Shaq Kareem whoever but they will admit Hakeem was the best. My childhood Hero THE DREAM Nigerian Nightmare if u was a real fan. 👏👏👏
@Will Bonner That's because Houston fans of the era actually got to see him play. And if you saw Hakeem play, you knew how truly great he was,. Cause in those days, you could only see a player out of town often (only) if they really wanted to, or the team went to the finals a lot.
600 more blocks than second place is unreal. Revolutionized the position.
That's only because blocks per game weren't an official stat when Wilt Chamberlain played.
Wilt had three to four times as many as Hakeem. Talk about unbelievable.
Yeah but with no 3 point line, there was 3-4 times the opportunities to get blocks. Every shot was up close. Imagine Hakeem in Wilt's era... sheesh
Did he really revolution it tho? He didn’t much else different than what everyone else was doing at the time, he just did it better
@The Darkfrost He was finesse at the center spot when everyone were huge brutes with imposing physical gifts. Robinson, Ewing, Shaq were all bigger and stronger. Mutombo was bigger, mourning was stronger. But Hakeem didn't overpower like the other centers. He used skill, speed, finesse, footwork. Not much brute strength.
Hakeem was one of a kind not talked about enough
One of the all time goats!! 🐐🐐
Exactly
A big man's big man! The Dream is the perfect center.
Hakeem will always be my second pick after MJ in the history's of the sport. Those two were the most dominant Two Way players i have ever witnessed with my eyes. And both of them in a unique stylish and poetic way, unsurpassed until now.. Its very shame that in the 90's never such finals took place,between the top two players of the era.
Did you know Hakeem and Jordan and clyde drexler almost played for the rockets portland was willing to trade clyde and #2 pick to houston for Sampson houston said no what a team that would be 😫😑
Same here. My top 3 players of all time are MJ,Olajuwon,Bird. As a kid I was a big Jordan fan like most kids my age (born in 80). As a teenager it shifted a bit and I was completely on board with the Rockets solely because of Olajuwon. I loved going to school after the finals with the Magic when Hakeem dominated Shaq. Nothing like I told ya so. Shaq had so many nut huggers and it was refreshing seeing the pure skill and court iq of Olajuwon triumph over the size of Shaq. Ewing was a monster too with fantastic skills but not on the level of Olajuwon. I think Hakeem is one of the most underrated in the game. He gets his props from knowledgeable bball fans but I often see him left off starting 5 lists and I find that crazy.
Beyond his athletic ability, he always struck as being a man at peace with himself and the world. He always had a presence of Zen like calm and stability.
So much respect for the dream. At their very bests I’d have a very difficult time picking between Dream and Kareem.
Can't go wrong with either.
@@1968dogg I agree.
They're both top 5 players without any doubt - and that's coming from somebody who always has the "center problem" when creating his top X lists (aka "centers were too dominant for too long and I can't just put tons of centers high on the list").
@@Nr4747 There was an NBA center named Wilt who averaged 30 points and 22 rebounds per game over a 14-year career. Some would say those numbers are vastly better than Hakeem or Jabbar.
@@libertarian4323 the problem with Wilt he play in era where NBA still in the infancy...So lot of player are not full-time professional player...I don't discredit him but at that time there are only few good player
The Dream Shake turned Houston into Clutch city back in the day! One of my all time favorite athletes!
No question about it.
Finally a video of the best center of all-time and you showed the clip of him blocking the unstoppable sky-hook! 👏
Now it’s the Semi-stoppable skyhook
he couldn't win until MJ retired... Hakeem is not the greatest center.
he literally never won without an allstar mj had scottie dennis rodman and grant lol
@@MovieGuy666 can you name a time MJ beat Hakeem post season? As the video showed, the Bulls were easy opponents for Houston for years.
@@MovieGuy666by your logic MJ couldn't win until Boston, L.A, and Detroit got old and he got an all time great wing next to him. The Pistons were in their late 20's when MJ beat them so we know that's not completely true, but I'm just using your logic. MJ was dropping 49 and 63 in back to back games against a loaded fucking Celtics roster and had no fault whatsoever in losing that series. My point is that who on the Bulls is stopping Hakeem, cause it sure isn't fucking pippen. Rodman would be physical but Hakeem was too damn good. He was GOING to score, you just didn't know what move, ever.
Olajuwon was a dominant force on both ends of the court, known for his exceptional footwork, post moves, and shot-blocking ability. 12-time NBA All-Star, a two-time NBA Champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, and the 1994 NBA MVP. He is the NBA's all-time leader in blocked shots and ranks in the top ten in career rebounds and career points.
Only player to ever retire top 10 in points, rebounds, steals and blocks
IT WAS ALL A DR34M! So glad to have lived through this time. I miss my real Clutch City Rockets. They've been downhill ever since they rebranded in 96 after b2b championships. Who does such a radical change to a 2x championship brand? Leslie that jerk took our trophies with him too.
The only player MJ’s Bulls genuinely feared, because the Bulls #1 weakness was the Center position. Even if MJ never went to baseball, the Rockets still would have a very strong chance at winning both titles.
Jordan himself said that
Yup and jordan fans think jordan is invincible ask them and bulls sweeping the rockets
@@jacobwheeler2462 rockets would of destroy them and I’m a micheal Jordan fan and I would admit that
That first Bulls team to 3peat yeah I’ll agree they might’ve had a pretty good chance but not that ‘96 Bulls team with Rodman, Longley and Kukoč. There probably isn’t any other team in history beating the ‘96 Bulls at least imo
3 straight finals runs would've gassed ANYBODY even the bulls. For sure they win in '94.
My favorite player of all time!
Dream was so cold Kobe, Bron, guards and forwards went to get better footwork and learn post moves from a center. That’s greatness. I remember the Rockets gave MJ Bulls hell. You can make an argument Houston had their number, I hate we never got that finals. I think Houston beats them in 7 games.
That dream shake was brilliant 👍 I remember watching Hakeem when I was a kid
and sensational
The BEST center I have ever season in my basketball watching lifetime. In baseball, there's a term used when you find & come across such a talent "5 Tool Player. "..The Dream was that and then some. Drop him in any era and he would dominate both sides of the courts. I'm still mad at Stockton & those tiny shorts for robbing us of a Bulls vs. Rockets Finals...MJ vs Dream, but even with that historical sports disappointment. I'm happy I got to see the best SG & Center ever!
Rockets still win 1 ring from Jordan. Jordan would of struggled in one NBA Finals against the Rockets.
Shaq couldn’t stand playing the Dream. Great editing 😎Go 🦅
My favorite Center and criminally underrated the guy can cook you on both ends
I'm glad to witness Hakeem Olajuwon performance NBA he was the best for me
Really amazing piece. Olajuwon is universally loved and respected, and yet somehow underrated at the same time. This dude definitely makes my "all time NBA" 12 player squad.
Hakeem Olajuwon is the reason I started watching NBA basketball. All you had to do was give him the rock in the post, the rest was history.
Hakeem gave everyone the business…MJ, Kareem, Shaq, Robinson, Ewing, Barkley…and he did so with skill & class as well as athleticism
MJ better be lucky he didn't faced the dream in the Finals, or he gets beaten by him.
Thank you so much for uploading this. I can remember requesting in one of your videos to see a longer Documentary of the Greatest Basketballer my Country Nigeria has ever produced and arguably the Best Center that ever graced the game With his footwork and athleticism, he is not the Strongest but conquers stronger Centers in the league He made the famous Fade-away move look so gorgeous and unguardable. He always accepts responsibility for his team's loss. Even when the Management questioned his loyalty by saying he faked an injury to miss a game, he settled it very maturely with no off-court drama and came back to captain his team to two Nba Championships! averaging 27.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in those Seasons. He is truly THE DREAM! The Best Center Of his Generation 👑
Video is 26 min long and dropped 25 min ago, yet i see comments saying "this vid is amazing". Just goes to show how great Joseph Vincent is.
They were hooked after the click
Still my all time favorite player!
My guy me too!!!!
One of your best yet. This was fantastic. I had forgotten just how good that man really was. Plus, he is SUCH a Hero to the City of Houston. All his Charity work there, that man is such an incredible human being. Thank you for this, Joe Vincent.
Just think about what he said 3 minutes into the video. He was taken over the GOAT in the draft and nobody thinks it was a bad pick. The dream is the greatest big man to ever play in my opinion
Not a mistake at all, Olajuwon owned Jordan and any player he faced.
Hakeem the Dream
If he’s on your team! Nightmare otherwise
Such an underaapreciated player, he should be in everyones top ten for sure
Hakeem Olajuwon on goat Mountain with the other all time greats!!!
Man you just made me relive some of my greatest moments as a kid growing up. Thank you so much for doing this.
BEST BIG MAN EVER!!!! Hakeem is top 5 dead or alive, PERIOD!!!
Top 3 actually now that I’ve seen this he’s above Shaq. This man had zero help and won back to back titles and dominated Jordan and shaq
The giant who had all the moves 🏆
Any move to make his opponents silly all the time.
He became the #1 pick after playing the game for just 5 year..
Insane
No player was ever so dominant simultaneously on both ends of the floor. How he only got one MVP is crazy. He's still probably the most underrated player in NBA history. Jordan came back in '95 and had one of his best playoff runs in his career, only to get beat by the Magic. That team was looked at as the team of the future and Dream's Rockets swept them. Great video.
As amazing as he was, you’re probably right. He is still highly underrated to this day. He had to deal with a notoriously cheap team owner who at times seemed to almost sabotage his team’s success.
People think Hakeem was all talent, some think he was all gifts. I think he was all heart. Everything we saw him do the court was built around that huge heart he had. He did not back down from any challenge thrown his way.
The greatest C to ever touch a basketball 🏀 🐐
Hes so underrated. Those dreamshakes are Godlike.
Definitely the best all around center I've seen. He could've been rookie of the year. He had the most impact to his team out of all the rookies, including Jordan. I remember Hakeem was in the top 10 1 season in every stat named, & didn't get the MVP. award.
Goosebumps the whole video!!! You brought me back to THE BEST period of the NBA.....besides the Jordan rules
Good work brother! I started watching the NBA in 94 and still have not seen anything like Hakeem. He is the best in so many ways. I love that bloke.
Hakeem Olajuwon was an amazing player. He was dominant on both sides of the ball. A legend in the game.
This video gives a very good insight into Hakeem’s greatness. Thanks Joseph
This man is why I've watched basketball for almost 30 years.
Hit the like button and support bro work, he delivers every time!!!
By far one of the best as growing up i imitated his moves … bro great clips of Hakeem!! Bro keep up the good work!!! Please do one on Earl Campbell or John Lynch .. 💙💙🙏🏽🙏🏽
Joseph a can’t get enough of your mini documentaries pal. Honestly they are amazing. Respect to you pal. Nobody does it like you pal. ✌️
Not only a GREAT center, but just a beautiful human being as well. What a great man. Thanks for the basketball memories, Hakeem.
Hakeem Olajuwon my Number one favorite center of all time 🏆🐐🎯🙏❤️
Okay, so no one roast me… I had no idea that Hakeem was that dominant. I knew he was a legend, but I never really quite grasped why, nor did I ever really look into it. This guy was on a whole other level, the complete package in a lot of ways and I think when you talk about the greatest bigs of all time it would almost be blasphemy to not bring him up. Simply incredible.
That’s why I’m here because of all the center debates on espn but now that I’ve seen this I have to put Akeem above shaq
Back in the day where you had to play both sides of the floor. I miss this era of basketball.
Me too
The Michael Jordan of Centers. Imagine if they played together. The 2 best Two Way players of all time. It almost happened too. The Rockets turned down Clyde Drexler and the #2 pick for Ralph Sampson. Could have drafted 1-Hakeem/2-MJ with young Clyde on the come up.
JOE IS THE BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARIAN ON KZhead!! Don’t talk the whole time, voice isn’t annoying. Been watching and rewatching for years, can’t wait for the next ones!
Hakeem would join our cross country team for jogs around Memorial Park in ‘94 and ‘95. He made us feel like we were the coolest kids in the world. Thanks for the memories, Champ.
The Dreamshake has gotta be taught as part of the Center Curriculum
You noticed how when Jordan had installed the Dream Shake in his moves when he came back to the Bulls. It was his favorite move.
Thank you for the respect for The Dream. He meant so much to Houston for finally bringing the city a championship. However, the video is incomplete without his blocks on Kevin Johnson and Rod Strickland.
From Houston and grew up idolizing Hakeem. Not just for his play, but for his character and the way he lead his teams and carried himself. We had so much fun cheering on his career together, and well, the world was just such a different place then. My dad used sports in a way to teach us life lessons, so the level of nostalgia this brings me is immeasurable. The man meant so much to so many of us down in Houston 🙏
If you didn't grow up in the 80s and early 90s you just can't understand the ability to dream those era's gave you. It literally was magical
Underrated, underappreciated Hakeem Olajuwon is my GOAT NBA center....
Hakeem has beaten in the playoffs: Kareem Abdul Jabbar in his prime,Patrick Ewing in his prime,David Robinson MVP, Orlando Shaq he is for me the best center to ever grace the court
The most Athletic center of all time. He was the first of that center/power forward hybrid. Could play defense like a center and play offense like a power foward
no he wasn't... that comment is straight silly.
The “Dream “ just a joy to watch. Especially against David Robinson and Shaq!!!!
Wow I’m lost for words this is just by far the greatest video ever
I watch this channel regularly and I still can’t get enough of the editing. Go Joe…!!!
I've been waiting for this dream! Joseph Vincent you've done it again flawless victory 💯
Truly the most underrated of all time. Perhaps the best player ever.
H-Town legend 🤘🏽🐐
The very best pound for pound center ever
BIG Up to my fellow African Brothers who made it in the NBA Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo ,The recent ones Serge Ibaka ,Pascal Siakam showed the world that there is talent in the Motherland not all that false information that the media shows 😎🏀🏀🏀
Don't forget manute bol.
@@hectorlopez1069 and the Son Bol Bol 😉🏀🏀🏀
Jonathan kuminga
This man could play in the nba to day without no doubt
That was one amazing draft year. Olajuwon, Jordan, Barkley, Stockton is just not fair.
Beast
Watching this AS SOON AS I leave the office. One of my favorite players on my favorite sports YT channel. This is gonna be GOOD.
finally and with all due respect to other youtubers, I see a video that truly encapsulates just how good this guy was. The fact he was able to consistently block shots away from the basket and finish top 10 all time in steals shows that he was not only a genius in the post but arguably one of the greatest defenders of all time as well
From a lifetime Lakers fan…thanks for the memories DREAM!!
Incredible video. Hakeem is Top 5 of all time - he was truly a one man wrecking crew. If Michael Jordan never existed, think about how dominant he would have been throughout the 90's. I think we'd be talking about a Houston dynasty that rivals anything we've seen in basketball.
Thank you Joseph for highlighting the Dream! Nobody else comes close to the quality of highlight packages you put together
Love that dunk on Sleepy Floyd @ 5:45 and the Solid Snake scream.🤣
Never been a huge fan of basketball but this is a great lil documentary 7