The Dream - Hakeem Olajuwon (Career Documentary)

dream was awesome dream was unbelievable

Akeem the Dream a Defensive Juggernaut

who averaged 3.1 blocks a game you may

choose to remember him in years to come

for that smooth little jumper from the

baseline or the devastating defense or

even the back-to-back NBA championships

in the mid 90s at 17

000 Plus

akeem's dream Shake was a whirling array

of shimmies and fakes that humbled

would-be Defenders it's amazing I don't

think people understand how good a large

one was nice move got him away from

[Applause]

us

and he just laughed nice nice elbow

brother and then he came out and gave me

and that's all the crazy straight away

yeah he gave me one of them Hakeem the

dream Elijah won

his journey began in Lagos Nigeria

Hakeem had a captivating story born and

raised in Nigeria his first athletic

loves were soccer and hand involved

Akeem grew up playing soccer I was

playing other sports soccer volleyball

Philadelphia I jump more of a all-around

athlete

but the coach was telling me that

basketball is your game at 16 years of

age Hakeem had never touched a

basketball he didn't start playing

basketball until he was 15 years old

centerpiece of one of the most legendary

basketball teams in college history the

University of Houston's five Slammer Jam

his agility and balance was freakish for

a man so large in college his offensive

skills were still a work in progress the

coaching staff directed Hakeem to a

local gym in the off season there Hakeem

trained with the legend and three-time

NBA MVP Moses Malone three-time MVP of

the league at that time and perhaps the

best big man in the game at that time

was his mentor taught him the low post

moves played against him every day and

so that's how he got better so quickly

Moses would become the ultimate mentor

to the dream for the next two seasons

Akeem became dominant on both ends of

the

courted Away by Hakeem I've got six

blocks now for Elijah

[Applause]

foregoing his senior year Hakeem entered

the 1984 NBA draft

if you want to know how good Hakeem was

the Houston Iraqi went first overall in

a draft that included Michael Jordan and

no one thinks it was a bad pig

Hakeem Olajuwon of the University of

Houston it is official

Noel attired Hakeem Olajuwon who started

playing basketball just five years ago

from Nigeria is now the number one pick

he does not happen 17 000 Plus

with the famed wave at that point in

time nobody was questioning the Akeem

over Michael Jordan Nova the King was

the No Doubt gun he was feeling terrific

right now again

Hakeem the dream he has nine points

but Elijah one comes through in the lane

and Akeem has 13 points Hakeem would

join fellow seven-footer Ralph Sampson

on the Rockets reigning Rookie of the

Year Center Ralph Sampson inside the

route

foreign

gets the rebound at the other side well

that's what happens when you get the

6-10 Elijah one and that's what he

really measures to be and the 7-4 Sam

Sampson and Hakeem were dubbed the Twin

Towers

Davis blocked by Elijah one and here's

Bill four ahead of the field see you

later Samson and Elijah won with two Big

Blocks inside the towers showed instant

chemistry inside Hakeem gets it 22

points for Hakeem Olajuwon Akeem Elijah

won being congratulated 24 points and

nine rebounds and Ralph Sampson also

playing an outstanding ball in team's

first two years the Rockets went from

last place to winning their division

it's not enough words in the language to

describe what he can do

I'll tell you they are doing a job oh

are these guys going to be tough about

April here's a 20-footer by sampling

that's good as a rookie a team improved

Houston's record by 19 wins transforming

the Rockets into a premier feed while

Jordan went on to win the NBA's Rookie

of the Year award Elijah did average 20

points 12 rebounds and nearly three

blocks to lead Houston to 48 wins that

was a 19 game improvement in victories

and 10 more than Jordan's Bulls man the

rookie from Houston

a lot of tempers are flurring I guess

[Music]

he really defused them but the other end

59-57 Team Elijah wanted singularly the

most incredible athlete I've ever

witnessed read about and see in person

foreign

[Applause]

holy smokes anybody see that pogo stick

Lucas andokine as he wins basketball

Akeem had no issues adjusting to the

physicality of the NBA last night yet

another fighting incident this one in

Seattle's win over Houston some

fisticuffs marred the contest in Seattle

early fourth quarter left side of the

screen it came Elijah wants squares up

with Clement Johnson there's the punches

Ralph Sampson trying to be Peacemaker

there but uh

watch the quickness here shakes one way

he walks every time

the dream wasn't shy about

confrontations in his younger days

cost his team this series there's a

technical on it Jack Madden right on the

scene is gone pushes matted

Elijah wanted to check them from again

they breezed through the playoffs

all the way to the Western Conference

Finals in Houston the biggest dream of

all has been Akeem himself who's

spearheaded the drive to house the

Lakers

[Applause]

they faced off against magic and

Kareem's Lakers I think most people

don't know Akeem went to the finals

before

1990. here's Elijah during this series

Hakeem averaged 31 Points 11 rebounds

and four blocks on 52 shooting I think

they very well will be you know they are

with the Lakers to go up 2-1 on the

defending Champion Lakers

who had Kareem and magic and worthy to

go up 2-1 on them and outplayed Fremont

Elijah on again and winds up on it

with six straight points McRae will

inbound one second on the clock

1986 year two

second year or obviously in the second

year he's in the finals

[Applause]

ship and a trip to Boston for the NBA

World title

the dream's historic effort lifted his

team into the finals a year later Elijah

on averaged 31 Points 11 rebounds and

four blocks to lead Houston to a 4-1

Western Conference Finals victory over

Magic Johnson Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and

the showtime later they lost to Larry

Bird Celtics with the future of such a

young team appeared bright

thought with Samson and elijahon that we

would be the team to beat for the next

10 years unfortunately the next season

Ralph Sampson was injured the first of

many Samson injuries Hakeem continued to

develop but the team's woes didn't end

with Samson's injuries stolen

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

the Rockets starting shooting guard and

their backup shooting guard were banned

over drug use

sidebar this is Andrew Wiggins dad

here's Robert Reed off the bracket

thank you

Elijah has five points in the game

favorite shot is protected by a team big

battle there between Lister and a king

the book is on part the team still

earned first-team all NBA honors and led

the Rockets back to the playoffs

but they failed to return to the finals

the following year Samson was traded

away the Rockets bright future was

suddenly Bleak Samson on Elijah

Akeem continued to grow as a player

oh boy it worked straight away right

sounding on the lodge I want to clear it

out he'll drive on big Mark go by

himself however the talent Exodus on the

rockets and made him a one-man show as

his fourth quarter begins they give it

to Akeem

the kingdom to me is

is number one

[Applause]

nice move got him away from Robert

Parish

in the following years the Rockets would

suffer a string of first round defeats

Akeem would bear the brunt of the

criticisms for his teen's shortcomings

[Applause]

[Music]

I cannot believe that block shot him a

large one who entered the ball game

leading the league in blocked shots with

over four and a half and that one was as

big as anything Hakeem is arguably the

greatest defensive player in history

Jackson turning in the dribble in for

the left side kicks to Jordan in the

left corner

by the 90s he was the best big man in

the league not even a nice home here

there's Elijah on the driveway

the first time that I've disagreed with

the coaches in the NBA

that's for sure my ranking would be a

kimilajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David

Robinson

Brad Daugherty Patrick Ewing and then

Alonso morning akeem's already dominant

game went to another level

[Applause]

during hakeem's 10-year Peak he averaged

almost 25 points

[Applause]

four blocks blocked 12 rebounds a game

again

[Music]

[Applause]

oh what a game the dream

there it is turns Baseline

52 points and simmer calls timeout oh

what a game by the green

foreign

[Music]

[Applause]

only the third quadruple double in the

history of the NBA

I want to highlight some of the

match-ups with Michael Jordan's Bulls

[Applause]

and he just looked back and playing they

were epic encounters that brought out

the best in both squads

of course

[Music]

Houston

Rockets Hakeem Elijah

from 91 to 93 Hakeem held a 5-1 record

against Jordan's bolts CJ Armstrong

Michael Jordan Bill Cartwright the

lineup for Chicago

Rockets will be playing perimeter

defense Jordan here he blocks MJ's game

time shot attempt

that was his sixth blocked shot of the

ninth here and it preserved a 105. 102

Victory the dream was so dominant that

no one in league history recorded more

blocked shots than Hakeem what a pure

beautiful walk the team knew he could do

it when he came back

almost 600 more than second place

[Applause]

expectations were Sky High following the

terrific season Akeem starts a dunk Fest

leading by example Akeem dominated on

both ends of the Court Sensational game

for that man

Houston Rockets going to a record of 15

and

the rocket shot out to a 15-0 start whoa

perfect timing

Team Elijah on that jump hook again

it's gonna tie the 1948 Washington

Capitals for the best start at NBA

history at 15-0 a team averaged 27.3

points 12 rebounds 3.7 blocks and almost

two steals again here we go Richmond

puts it up falling away

Mitch Richmond with 3.7 left one more

shooter out there on that floor

[Applause]

oh honey stop to Elijah on for the slam

knock and the rockets lead at 109 to

108. he won MVP

Defensive Player of the Year and finals

MVP in the same season the only player

ever to do so congratulations on being

the 1994 NBA Most Valuable Player

[Applause]

akeem's historic season had lifted his

team back into the NBA Finals he led the

league and steals one here so

defensively he was incredible Defensive

Player of the Year MVP for three

memorable years red and black were the

colors of royalty in the NBA but that

dynasty is now history soon a new

Champion will reign this symbol of

Supremacy rides on the outcome

the two teams intend on seizing the

prize have different styles and

Personnel but they share something

essential Michael Jordan has retired so

for bargain for you

for Akeem for all these guys

hey this should be our chance against

the New York Knicks and their dominant

big man Patrick Ewing but viewing the

team would solidify himself as the best

in the game

is through for the game

he holds Patrick Ewing

an all-time great Center to 19 points

per game

[Applause]

the Knicks did everything they could to

slow the dream

roughing him up contacting him

constantly John Starks has seemingly an

open three to win the title six ten

seconds to go walkets lead by two

a star and the team go go gadgetson and

blocks and the Rockets win the ball was

tipped it was partially blind Elijah won

Joe Elijah the first full day of summer

the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks

will determine this basketball season's

NBA champion he averages for the finals

27 points nine rebounds four assists

four blocks and they end up winning the

title in game seven 5 20 to go

[Applause]

the Rockets had captured the title

[Applause]

[Music]

yeah

and comes County Smith

team 93

a champion

the team the dream was now a world

champion

[Applause]

only player ever to be named MVP

Defensive Player of the Year and NBA

Finals MVP in the same season that same

year he also became the only player ever

to lead his team in scoring rebounding

assists blocks and steals for an entire

postseason the next season the Rockets

went out and got hakeem's old College

partner Clyde Drexler who was no longer

an All-Star team appearing to be

ill-equipped to defend their title they

made a blockbuster deal with Portland to

bring in hakeem's former teammate at the

University of Houston Clyde Drexel the

Drexler provided just enough energy to

Aid Hakeem

here we go

they're looking for five here it is

entering the playoffs as a sixth seed

the Rockets were underdogs America West

Arena already up and Rocket as we take a

look at the starting lineup for this

game seven between the Rockets and the

Phoenix Suns this team is the sixth

they they are not that good of a team

they trade for Clyde Drexler Midway

through the year they're kind of

scuttled

no one expected them to return to the

finals

[Applause]

[Music]

the team averages 30 12 and six and the

closing moments

Swanson

[Applause]

that's the pleasure

[Applause]

Rockets are going back to the west

through Conference Final for the second

straight year against David Robinson

Hakeem made it personal

Robinson had one MVP

but Hakeem was determined to show him

who was really the best he just told me

before the games in America he's brought

in my trophy

it's like that I never had dream talk no

mess so when I heard that I was like

it's personal you know it's personal

armed with the extra motivation to prove

he was the best big man in the game

Hakeem

dismantled the Admirals

Four Points in the game this is the

matchup that Houston should take

advantage of with David Robinson

Robinson was powerless against the dream

David Robinson

quick enough to stop you nobody is

Elijah has been torching David Robinson

inside with an assortment of moves and

Robinson trying to get a body on him get

him physical but the reason he's gonna

have problems he's able to post too deep

too good

it was here Hakeem pulled off some of

his most iconic dream shakes his numbers

in this series just phenomenal doing it

in all aspects of the game he has given

the Rockets a commanding lead with each

outing it became clearer and clearer who

the best big man in the game was one of

the stars of the uh soon to be released

motion picture of model 13. Houston we

have a problem

[Applause]

the Rockets Advanced past the top-seeded

Spurs and we're headed to their second

consecutive NBA finals

[Applause]

what he did to David Robinson the Spurs

should have been illegal it was the

greatest single individual performance I

think I've ever seen Hakeem the dream

you seen what he did in the finals

against Shaq in the finals Hakeem would

face yet another legendary big man the

young up and coming

Shaquille O'Neal

[Applause]

in game one Hakeem tipped in the

game-winning shot

[Applause]

from there on it was all Houston

[Applause]

I've never seen anyone not be outpowered

by Shaq but if the Rockettes dominated

the magic sweeping them in four games

come back in the other and

player in history to win back-to-back

championships as the lone All-Star on

his team

played until 2001 but his most memorable

moments came in the playoffs

[Applause]

thank you

the dream Elijah won nobody brings it

home like a chill Vincent nobody

make it so

[Music]