Reportedly, he is fluent in French, Arabic, and the Nigerian languages of Yoruba and Ekiti. Houston Texans "You feel goose bumps," Hakeem Olajuwon said. Also, he belongs to the ethnic group the African. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808965&cache=false" . HOUSTON Following the Islamic custom of prearranged marriages, Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon and 18-year-old Dalia Asafi were wed last week in a traditional ceremony. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808944&cache=false" Following a dismal 1991 and 1992 season, Olajuwon requested a trade from the Rocket, citing contract issues as well as unconvincing performance. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. What the foundation does is to help children in the Southwestern part of America get funds for whatever it is that needs financing for them to have better lives. 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. + qs; Hakeem Olajuwon is 7 ft 0 in (213 cm) tall and weighs 255 lb (116 kg). Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon Twitter: DR34M (formerly Akeem Olajuwon) (The Dream, Little Moses) Position: Center Shoots: Right 7-0, 255lb (213cm, 115kg) . Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets shoots against Raef LaFrentz of the Denver Nuggets during the game on January 20, 2000 at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. id: "beb5f82f-dce3-49e6-a836-cf24eb78a6f6", He enjoyed playing soccer, often playing as a goalkeeper. (Coach Price) is pushing me to my limit, making me do things I didnt think I could do myself, Olajuwon said. "[Abdullah] is 15, if he doesn't come now, he won't really get a chance to catch up," Hakeem said. 34 -- just like her dad wore with the Rockets. Olajuwon said Price and his Clements teammates have been a big reason for the development of his confidence, and in turn, his game. He is a fluent multilingual having knowledge of English, French, Arabic, and Nigerian indigenous languages, Ekiti and 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. But a year later, in 2002, he retired from professional basketball career. Hakeem Olajuwon. 10. He earned this hefty sum of money as a professional basketball player from his career. Despite the fasting during the Ramadan period, Hakeem still produced some of his best performances during those periods. He led the Cougars to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship game, but Houston lost again, this time to the Georgetown Hoyas, led by Patrick Ewing. In the 1987/88 season, Ralph Sampsons knee injury which ended his career prematurely started. "I tried out for a soccer team, and I made it. His undefendable fade-away jump shot, combined with his powerful dunks and tenacious defense under the basket proved a nearly unstoppable combination. basketball player. During his career, Hakeem has played for. He was thus rewarded with a new four-year contract which settled his contracts concerns. Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets rebounds during the game against the Denver Nuggets on January 20, 2000 at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. 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. He sought advice from the Houston staff on how to earn more playing time and it was recommended that he work out with NBA star, Moses Malone. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808948&cache=false" 100 Paul Buck Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28217, United States. ""When you get to that level, it's not a matter of talent anymore - because all the players are so talented - it's about preparation, about playing smart and making good decisions. Olajuwon rose to become one of the best players to have played in the NBA, as a result of his unique style of play which combines a tactical defensive approach to fast-paced offensive skills. And he just kept telling me to play. Pronunciation: \ah-KEEM ah-LAH-zhoo-wahn\. He is one of the few known athletes who endorse shoes, not from very prominent brands such as Adidas, Nike, or Reebok. Although the Rockets faced disappointment the next year, Olajuwon continued his personal professional success, leading the league in rebounds and blocks. 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. From his very childhood, he was taught the benefits of hard work and discipline, which helped him throughout his career. She was 18 when they got married. Learn how your comment data is processed. And if they do make it, Olajuwon will be a key piece of the puzzle. During his career, Hakeem has played for. He was born in 2004 in the country of Jordan, where he spent the first 10 years of his life. Hakeem Olajuwon studied physical education at the University of Houston. 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. Olajuwon said he's usually back in the United States for the summer, when the Sooners aren't playing. His rookie season was an instant success, as he drastically improved the Rockets' win-loss record. The duo most famously was the reason that Houston Rockets were a part of the NBA Finals in 1986. This article was created by a combination of a few writers and editors from Sporty Tell. Her spouse Hakeem Olajuwon is a Nigerian-born professional basketball player. var qs = Object.keys(params).reduce(function(a, k){ a.push(k + '=' + encodeURIComponent(params[k])); return a},[]).join(String.fromCharCode(38)); Their kids are Rahman Olajuwon and Aisha Olajuwon. His workout with Malone helped him a lot. Their marriage produced four children; two daughters - Rahmah and Aisha and two sons - Abdullah and Abdul. { Well, if youre ready, lets start. She is a Nigerian citizen, whereas her ethnicity is Hausa-Fulani. 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. 142k Followers, 1 Following, 30 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Hakeem Olajuwon (@thedr34m) ""My background playing soccer gave me a natural advantage over many of the American-born players. Olajuwon, paired with Ralph Sampson in the front court, had a stellar rookie year, averaging 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, and finished second to Jordan in the Rookie of Year voting. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets during the game against the Vancouver Grizzlies on November 9, 2000 at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. With his 26.9 point average per game, Olajuwon was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player; this made him the first foreign-born player to receive that award. However, there is no further information about her family background, just like another NBA star's wife, Tamara Houston. 65200. wid: "428986", However, there is no information about her exact date and place of birth. In the 1983 NCAA Championship though his team lost he was awarded the Tournament Player of the Year award. A gifted athlete, Hakeem was a soccer goalkeeper from an early age before learning to play team handball as a junior at Muslim Teachers College, a high school in Lagos. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. Moreover, in 1994, he became the only NBA player ever to win the MVP, the Championship title, the Finals MVP, and the Defensive Player of the Year award in a single season. Additionally, he works with other NBA players to help them perfect their moves. But after I tasted [playing basketball], I didn't want to play anything else, I knew that was my passion.". After he became a naturalized US citizen in 1993, he was allowed to play for the US team at the 1996 Olympics. 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. During his NBA career, Hakeem earned $110 million in salary. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is the third of eight children born on January 21, 1963, to Salim Olajuwon and Abike Olajuwon. 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. 6 Championship Dr, Auburn Hills, MI 48326, United States. In addition to English, Olajuwon has fluency in Arabic and French, as well as the Nigerian languages of Ekiti and Yoruba. He's the son of NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, but not many people have heard of him. He joined the Toronto Raptors in 2001 and played in the same center position for both the teams. HOUSTON, Texas -- In the West Midlands Region of the United Kingdom, the game of basketball is not the most popular sport. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808939&cache=false" T: (201) 635-8000 She belongs to a mixed (Nigerian-African) ethnicity and holds a Nigerian nationality. He also recorded a quadruple-double, becoming only the third NBA player ever to do so. Following a bad 1991-92 season, Olajuwon improved his passing and set a new career-best of 3.5 assists per game in 1992-93. 75 Union Ave. Rutherford, NJ 07070 . Olajuwon is a practicing Muslim, and has talked about studying the Qur'an every day. Dalia Asafi may be earning a good amount of money from the profession she is involved in. Olajuwon subsequently immigrated to the US to play basketball with the University of Houston Cougars. 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 and the even taller 7ft 4 in Ralph Sampson were together known as the Twin Towers. Required fields are marked *. And growing up, soccer was his first love despite his dad being one of the most well-known basketball players of all time. Their two daughters are Aisha Olajuwon and Rahmah Olajuwon. The next several years of Olajuwon's career proved frustrating. In November 2006 he bought a 41-acre property near NASA's Johnson Space Center and developed it into a retirement community. He led his team to the NCAA Championship finals in his Sophomore and Junior years. His height is 2.13 m tall, and his weight is 116kg. Hakeem Olajuwon of the Toronto Raptors looks to shoot against Joel Przybilla of the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of the NBA game at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. cb: (new Date()).getTime() Moreover, Hakeem also played with the Toronto Raptors for a year before retiring due to back injuries. He was . Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets during the game against the Denver Nuggets on January 20, 2000 at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. 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. On August 8th 1996, he got married to, wife, Dalia Asafi. 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