Hakeem Olajuwon may nicely be basketball’s greatest-ever huge man.
Standing at 7ft tall, the highly effective heart dominated the NBA for greater than 15 years with the Houston Rockets.
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He entered the league because the No.1 decide of the 1984 draft, which is now iconic for the expertise it introduced in, and included the nice Michael Jordan, who went third general.
Within the years that adopted, Olajuwon was dominant each offensively and defensively, profitable back-to-back championships a decade later with the Rockets in 1994 and 1995.
He was named Finals MVP in each of these years.
Maybe unsurprisingly, these two triumphs have been sandwiched between the 2 three-peats that MJ achieved with the Chicago Bulls.
After profitable three-straight titles, ‘His Airness’ surprised the sporting world together with his choice to retire from the NBA in 1993 and pursue a profession in baseball as an alternative, dedicating his effort to his late father, who had envisioned him enjoying the game.
With Jordan gone, Olajuwon stepped in to fill the massive void left within the NBA.
The Nigerian-American star gained a fame as a clutch performer – and as one of many high facilities in historical past – outplaying the likes of Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dikembe Mutombo, and different defensive stalwarts reminiscent of Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone.
An unusually expert offensive participant for an enormous man, Olajuwon additionally perfected a set of fakes and spin strikes that turned referred to as his trademark ‘Dream Shake’.
Executed with uncanny velocity and energy, they’re nonetheless considered the head of ‘huge man’ footwork to at the present time.
Arguably the notable ‘Dream Shake’ occurred in Sport 2 of the 1995 Western Convention Finals, when the Rockets got here up towards the San Antonio Spurs.
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With nice rival Robinson guarding him, Olajuwon carried out a cross-over, drove to the basket and faked a layup.
Robinson, a wonderful defender, stored up with the Houston star and remained planted. Olajuwon then spun counterclockwise and faked a soar shot.
His opponent, who was voted the 1995 MVP, fell for the faux and jumped to dam the shot.
With Robinson within the air, Olajuwon carried out an up-and-under transfer and made a straightforward layup.
The transfer turned immediately iconic.
On the peak of his powers, it wasn’t simply on the court docket that ‘The Dream’ was making waves.
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The promoting growth within the late Eighties noticed quite a few NBA stars seem in tv commercials, and Olajuwon landed himself a cope with McDonald’s.
Throughout one shoot, the NBA star found his love for rooster nuggets – and reportedly ate 100 McNuggets in in the future.
Based on UPROXX, Olajuwon was filming a McDonald’s industrial whereby the premise required him to slam dunk Hen McNuggets into his mouth.
For unknown causes, it took some time to get the industrial precisely proper, resulting in a taping that took 5 hours and over 100 takes.
Most individuals would dunk the McNugget into their mouth after which spit it out.
Not Olajuwon, although, who is claimed to have consumed each single McNugget he popped in.
If the industrial took over 100 takes, that is greater than 100 McNuggets in his stomach.
A producer apparently requested Olajuwon if he would like they changed the rooster with one thing inedible, to maintain his consumption down.
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He declined, saying, “I like these items. Let’s maintain doing it.”
On high of being a legendary basketball participant, it appears Olajuwon was additionally a remorseless McNugget consuming machine.
And since stepping away from the NBA, he has taken his abilities in one other path.
As an alternative of dominating the court docket, he is now rocking the actual property world.
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He dipped his toes into investing whereas nonetheless a participant, setting apart a few of his $110million in wage to place into property.
By 2006, simply 4 years after he retired, Olajuwon’s investments had grown to be value greater than $100m alone.
And now, twenty years on, his web value is claimed to be $300m, making him the seventh richest NBA participant in historical past.
He has mastered a method of shopping for properties ripe for additional growth in his adopted hometown of Houston, like parcels of land close to the light-rail line, within the Texas Medical Heart and near the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park.
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Olajuwan at all times pays money for his investments, and solely buys properties with funds he really controls, which means he takes on no debt.
“I attempt to see its potential; what it might be used for,” he instructed the New York Instances in a profile again in 2006.
“I like actual property as a result of, you recognize, it’s actual.”
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With the NBA hurtling in the direction of playoff season subsequent month, there’s loads driving on the remaining video games.
Reigning champions the Boston Celtics are chasing back-to-back titles, and would be the first staff to do that since 2018 in the event that they’re profitable.
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