Hakeem Olajuwon

**Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon** (born January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria; pronounced ah-KEEM ah-LAH-zhoo-wahn), formerly **Akeem Olajuwon**, is a retired Nigerian-American basketball player. He is considered by some to be the greatest defensive player in basketball history.  Hakeem Olajuwon travelled all the way from his home country of Nigeria to play basketball in the United States. He won two National Basketball Association (NBA) championships with the Houston Rockets. During his career, he was nicknamed "**The Dream**", often extended to "**Hakeem the Dream**", due to his grace both on and off the court.  His best move was called the "Dream Shake".  He also called himself "**Little Moses**" after one of his biggest idols, Moses Malone. He played for the Houston Rockets while Olajuwon played for the University of Houston Cougars men's basketball team.

## Other websites

- Hakeem Olajuwon's NBA legends profile

## Infobox (basketball biography)

- **name**: Hakeem Olajuwon
- **image**: Hakeemsigningautocropped.jpg
- **caption**: Olajuwon signing autographs
- **height ft**: 6
- **height in**: 11
- **weight lbs**: 255
- **birth place**: Lagos, Nigeria
- **nationality**: Nigerian / American
- **college**: Houston Cougars men's basketball, Houston (1981–1984)
- **draft year**: 1984
- **draft round**: 1
- **draft pick**: 1
- **draft team**: Houston Rockets
- **career start**: 1984
- **career end**: 2002
- **career position**: Center (basketball), Center
- **career number**: 34
- **years1**: –
- **team1**: Houston Rockets
- **team2**: Toronto Raptors
- **highlights**: * 2× List of NBA champions, NBA champion (, )
* 2× Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, NBA Finals MVP (, )
* NBA Most Valuable Player Award, NBA Most Valuable Player ()
* 12× List of NBA All-Stars, NBA All-Star (1985 NBA All-Star Game, 1985–1990 NBA All-Star Game, 1990, 1992 NBA All-Star Game, 1992–1997 NBA All-Star Game, 1997)
* 6× All-NBA Team, All-NBA First Team (–, , , )
* 3× All-NBA Team, All-NBA Second Team (, , )
* 3× All-NBA Team, All-NBA Third Team (, , )
* 2× NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, NBA Defensive Player of the Year (, )
* 5× NBA All-Defensive Team, NBA All-Defensive First Team (, , , , )
* 4× NBA All-Defensive Team, NBA All-Defensive Second Team (, , , )
* NBA All-Rookie Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team ()
* 2× List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders, NBA rebounding leader (, )
* 3× List of National Basketball Association annual blocks leaders, NBA blocks leader (, , )
* No. 34 Houston Rockets#Retired numbers, retired by Houston Rockets
* NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
* Consensus first-team NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans, All-American (1984 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans, 1984)
* List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders, NCAA rebounding leader (1984)
* Southwest Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, SWC Player of the Year (1984)
* NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, 1983)
* No. 34 Houston Cougars men's basketball#Retired numbers, retired by University of Houston
- **stats league**: NBA
- **stat1label**: Point (basketball), Points
- **stat1value**: 26,946 (21.8 ppg)
- **stat2label**: Rebound (basketball), Rebounds
- **stat2value**: 13,747 (11.1 rpg)
- **stat3label**: Block (basketball), Blocks
- **stat3value**: 3,830 (3.1 bpg)
- **hof player**: hakeem-olajuwon
- **bbr**: olajuha01
- **fiba hof player**: Hakeem-Olajuwon