Hakeem Olajuwon, From Lagos to MVP
1984 to 1995. A former goalkeeper rewrites post play
Hakeem Olajuwon grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, playing soccer as a goalkeeper and team handball. He did not start playing basketball until he was a teenager, around the age of 15.
He moved to the United States to play for the University of Houston, reaching three straight Final Fours from 1982 to 1984. The Houston Rockets made him the first pick of the 1984 NBA draft, ahead of Michael Jordan.
His footwork, built on years of soccer, made him nearly unguardable in the post. His signature "Dream Shake" used fakes and pivots to leave defenders off balance. In 1994 he became the first player born outside the United States to win NBA MVP, and he led the Rockets to titles in 1994 and 1995.
What changed
Olajuwon showed that a big man's weapon could be footwork and balance, not only size. Generations of centers have studied his moves, and his success helped NBA teams take scouting in Africa seriously.
In the Dictionary: Pivot