34
HAKEEM OLAJUWON
Center
Height: 7-0; Weight: 255
College: Houston '84
Born: January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria
High School: Muslim Teachers College (Nigeria)
Pro Experience: 17th NBA Season
How Acquired: Drafted in the first round of the 1984 NBA Draft

1999-2000
Received the 2000 NBA Sportsmanship Award for the Midwest Division ... averaged 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.59 blocks in 44 games (28 starts) ... ranked second on the team in rebounding average and blocked shots ... scored in double figures in 22 games, reaching 20 points three times ... led or tied for the team lead in points three times, rebounds nine times and assists once ... had five double-doubles ... became the first player in NBA history to accumulate 2,000 blocks and 2,000 steals in a career at Seattle on Nov. 20 ... trailing only Karl Malone among active scorers, took over 10th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list on Jan. 28 at Denver ... assumed 11th place on the NBA's all-time rebounding list on March 17 at Indiana ... scored a season-high 31 points on Nov. 18 vs. Sacramento ... grabbed a season-best 15 rebounds on Nov. 13 at Golden State and on Nov. 21 at Sacramento ... suffered an inguinal hernia at Portland on Nov. 26, which required surgery that sidelined him through Jan. 15 ... placed on the injured list with respiratory problems for the remainder of the season on March 23.

As a Professional
Selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1997 ... named to the Rockets 30-Year Team as one of the top 10 players in franchise history in 1998 ... played for the 1996 United States Olympic Team, which won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Ga. ... career averages of 23.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in 1,119 NBA contests ... stands as the all-time Rockets leading scorer (25,822) and rebounder (12,951) ... is the most prolific shot-blocker in NBA history with 3,652 career blocks ... ranks seventh in NBA history with 2,018 steals ... is one of 12 players in NBA history to record 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds ... selected as the NBA MVP for the 1994 season ... named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in both 1993 and 1994 ... is a six-time All-NBA First Team selection (1987-89, 1993-94, 1997) ... picked for the All-NBA Second Team three times (1986, 1990, 1996) and Third Team three times (1991, 1995, 1999) ... selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times (1987-88, 1990, 1993-94) and Second Team on four occasions (1985, 1991, 1996-97) ... in 1994, became only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and NBA Finals MVP in the same season ... won the NBA's IBM award for the 1992-93 season ... chosen to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1985 ... is the Rockets' career leader in years played, games played, points, rebounds, defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, steals, blocked shots, free throws made and attempted, field goals made and attempted, and minutes played ... is second in Rockets history in scoring average, third in assists and sixth in field goal percentage ... became the first player in league history to reach 200 blocks and 200 steals in the same season in 1988-89 ... was the third player in NBA history to reach 10,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists, steals and blocks ... has 32 career 40-point games ... has scored in double figures in 1,030 of 1,069 games played ... has 14 career triple-doubles, including a quadruple-double on March 29, 1990 ... selected to All-Star team in 12 of 14 seasons - starting eight times ... had an unprecedented streak of 11 consecutive seasons totaling at least 200 blocks and 100 steals (1985-96) ... scored his 25,000th career point at Utah on April 1, 1999 ... was the first player selected in the 1984 NBA Draft, ahead of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton.

In the Playoffs
Has participated in the playoffs 14 times in 16 NBA seasons ... career averages of 26.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game in 140 career playoff contests ... was the NBA Finals MVP in 1994 and 1995, as the Rockets claimed back-to-back NBA Championships ... is seventh in total points in NBA playoff history (3,727), second among active players ... stands second in NBA playoff history in blocks (468), fourth in field goals made (1,492), sixth in scoring average (26.6), eighth in field goals attempted (2,825) and 10th in total rebounds (1,602) ... is listed second in NBA Finals history in blocks (54) and fifth in scoring average (27.5) ... set the league record for most points in a four-game series (150, 37.5 average) vs. Dallas in 1988 ... equaled NBA record for most blocks in a playoff game with 10 at the LA Lakers on April 29, 1990, finishing the game with a triple-double ... averaged 26.9 points and 11.0 rebounds per contest in Houston's trek to its first NBA Championship in 1994 ... posted averages of 33.0 points and 10.3 rebounds in 22 games during Houston's run to its second NBA Championship in 1995 ... teamed with Clyde Drexler to become just the third teammate duo in NBA playoff history to each score 40+ points in the same game during Game Four of the 1995 Western Conference First Round vs. Utah ... his 35.3 scoring average vs. San Antonio in the 1995 Western Conference Finals was the fifth-best average in NBA Conference Finals history ... set NBA Finals record for most points in a four-game series (131, 32.8) vs. Orlando in 1995 ... is the Rockets all-time playoff leader in years, games played, minutes, points, scoring average, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots.

As a Collegian
Selected Southwest Conference Player of the Decade (1980s) by panel of media and coaches ... one of eight centers to have led his team to NCAA Final Four in three straight seasons ... Cougars were 88-16 during his three seasons ... had career college marks of 13.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots ... college high-point game was 35 at UC-Santa Barbara, Dec. 21, 1983 ... rebound high was 25 at Texas Tech, Jan. 12, 1984 ... block high was 16 vs. Biscayne, Dec. 3, 1983 ... member of original "Phi Slama Jama" Fraternity named by Los Angeles Times writer (then Houston Post columnist) Thomas Bonk in January 1983 ... had his number 34 retired by the University of Houston along with Clyde Drexler's number 22 on Feb. 12, 1997.

Personal
Full name is Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon ... added "H" to name after March 9, 1991, game with Philadelphia ... sworn in as a United States citizen on April 2, 1993 ... father, Salaam, and mother, Abike, are retired, and live in Lagos, Nigeria; they owned a cement business ... has four brothers, Kaka (52), Akins (34), Taju (32), Afis (28), and one sister, Kudi (38) ... married on Aug. 8, 1996, to Dalia Asafi in Houston ... has three daughters, Abisola (12), Rahmah (3) and Aisha (1) ... his first sports were soccer and handball ... started playing basketball in 1978 ... as a 17-year-old in 1980 played on Nigerian team in All-African games ... Olajuwon translates into "always being on top" ... speaks English, French and four Nigerian dialects ... inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame on Jan. 27, 1999.

Career Transactions
Drafted by Houston in the first round of 1984 NBA Draft (first pick overall).