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"Olajuwon!" the commentators shrieked repeatedly. The crowd went wild as Hakeem Olajuwon thrilled the Houston Rockets' home fans with a sheer display of perfection.
This is the scene that unfolded when the Rockets hosted the Orlando Magic in their 23rd game of the 1989-1990 NBA season with a capacity of 14,756 spectators 32 years ago. That night, Olajuwon thrilled the arena with an MVP performance, posting a triple-double. He recorded 32 points, 25 rebounds and 10 blocks, enforcing his domination in the game for all to see.
Hakeem Olajuwon was on the court for 43 minutes. He shot 10 of 18 (55.6%) from the field and 12 of 20 (60%) at the free-throw line.
Olajuwon was the standout advantage and the core reason why the Rockets won, as he posted almost 30% of Houston's total points. He was a beast on the court and a beauty to watch. A Hall of Famer, he is among the best centers in the history of the league.
A view of Hakeem Olajuwon's 18 years career in the NBA
Houston selected Olajuwon, who played for the University of Houston, with the No. 1 pick in the 1984 draft. Upon entry into the NBA, "The Dream" hit the ground running, totaling 24 points, nine rebounds and an assist in his debut game.
Olajuwon made to the All-Star team in his rookie season and was selected to the All-Rookie first team. He was one half of the Rockets' "Twin Towers," with 1984 Rookie of the Year, Ralph Sampson. Olajuwon was edged for the 1985 Rookie of the Year award by Michael Jordan.
The 12-time All-Star spent 18 years in the league, representing the Rockets for 17 seasons before retiring with the Toronto Raptors at age 39. In his career, Olajuwon won multiple awards, becoming one of the most decorated players in the league.
He became the rebound champion in 1989 and 1990 and was the block leader for three seasons (1990, 1991 and 1993). "The Dream" won the 1994 NBA MVP award, leading the Rockets to a championship title that season. The franchise won back-to-back titles, with Olajuwon as its leading scorer in both championship runs.
Olajuwon was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1993 and 1994 and was selected as one of the NBA's 75 greatest players a few months ago. He holds the record for the most career blocks (3,830) and ranks 12th for the most points in NBA history (36,946). He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016.
Guess the Lakers players!
