He has a tell-all autobiography written along with Peter Knobler in 1996 titled Living the Dream. Hakeem Olajuwon was born in 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria to Yoruba parents Abike and Salim, who owned a cement business. }; It includes entries on racial and ethnic groups, ethnic sports, mainstream sports, ethnic and racial institutions and famous sports figures. Following his retirement from the NBA, Olajuwon found significant success in the Houston real estate market. Dalia Asafi is a Nigerian Celebrity Wife. 75 Union Ave. Rutherford, NJ 07070 . During that time, he wore No. 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. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808964&cache=false" Following a dismal 1991 and 1992 season, Olajuwon requested a trade from the Rocket, citing contract issues as well as unconvincing performance. Mainly, she is a former basketball coach and also played for the WNBA team, Chicago Sky. She's a great kid. All of my fundamental principles that were instilled in me in my home, from my childhood, are still with me. 600 West Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida, United States. ""I've now been in this country for thirteen years, since I was seventeen. Hakeem Olajuwon has his position in the Basketball Hall of Fame and FIBA Hall of Fame, both as players. They were blessed with two daughters Rahmah and Aisha. "Then we made a deal, once they tasted basketball they'd forget about soccer. Privacy Policy He has created many records among them is the winning of both Defensive Player of the Year award and Finals MVP awards during the season 1993-94. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808958&cache=false" Here are some notable quick facts that you should know about the retired Nigerian -American basketball legend. "You feel goose bumps," Hakeem Olajuwon said. 1001 N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. 2023 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved. As Olajuwon aged, his minutes on the court and statistics took a natural decline, and Houston management began planning a future beyond his presence on the court. Olajuwon, whose father is former Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon, said his confidence has been a key reason for the growth of his game. Posting a season average of 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game, Olajuwon was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). Olajuwon stated he believed the Houston Rockets will win the coin flip and thus he entered the draft cause he wanted to play for the Rockets. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808942&cache=false" Guard Trajan Langdon of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over center Hakeem Olajuwon of the Toronto Raptors during the NBA game at Gund Arena (now Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse) in Cleveland, Ohio. This foundation was very helpful during the Covid Lockdown. His confidence level wasnt anywhere near what it is now (last season)," Price said. Although the team lost both times, Olajuwon won the 1983 NCAA Tournament Player of the Year award. Memorabilia in Baybrook Mall hosts a Hall of Fame afternoon with Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon ( taking pictures with fans and signing autographs. He led his team to the NCAA Championship finals in his Sophomore and Junior years. For the 1988-89 season, Olajuwon was the undisputed leader of the Rockets, finishing as the league leader in rebounds with 13.5 per game. He had the same skill set last year, he just didnt have the confidence to go with it.. The two tied the knot of husband and wife in August 1996. In his second year, Olajuwons performance improved greatly as he led the Rockets to the 1986 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics. Olajuwon married Dalia Asafi on August 8, 1996. Required fields are marked *. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. In the 1987/88 season, Ralph Sampsons knee injury which ended his career prematurely started. . Originally, when they moved to the UK, Abdullah admitted they had a passion for soccer. With their love of basketball growing, Hakeem had to make a decision and knew moving back to the United States would be best for their basketball future. Following the 1983/84 seasons, Olajuwon made the decision to enter the NBA Draft. Encyclopedia of Ethnicity and Sports in the United States, The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy. 400 W Church St #200, Orlando, FL 32801, United States. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808945&cache=false" 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're always working . The next several years of Olajuwon's career proved frustrating. (born July 6, 1988) Abisola Olajuwon is a Nigerian-American basketball coach and former player. However, the next season, they recorded a 57-win season with Charles Barkley on the roster. 600 West Amelia Street Orlando, Florida, United States. 11445 Compaq Center West Dr, Houston, Texas, United States. Pond called various basketball contacts in the United States and arranged for Olajuwon to visit six schools, including St. John's University and the University of Houston.Olajuwon arrived in New York City in October 1980. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon, originally Akeem Olajuwon, is a former professional basketball player from Nigeria. His parents owned a cement business. There he played only one season before retiring in 2002. His parents owned a cement business. 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. Daughters: Abi Olajuwon, Rahmah Olajuwon, Aisha Olajuwon; Hakeem Olajuwon's Early Life, Childhood & Family Background. He is married to Dalia Asafi and has two daughters with her. They have three daughters named Abi, Aisha, and Rahmah. Not to mention his first Oklahoma game in person. However, there is no information about Asafis career. 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. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. Olajuwon subsequently immigrated to the US to play basketball with the University of Houston Cougars. As per Hakeem's last contract, he earned $6,326,923 as an annual average salary. Following his retirement, his jersey was retired by the Houston Rockets. Additionally, he has collected $97,356,426 as his entire career earnings, playing 14 seasons in NBA. "Hes more relaxed on the floor this year. Olajuwon said he's usually back in the United States for the summer, when the Sooners aren't playing. In 2001, Olajuwon was traded to the Toronto Raptors. Likewise, he guided Houston Rockets to NBA Championships in 1994 and 1995. He is one of the few known athletes who endorse shoes, not from very prominent brands such as Adidas, Nike, or Reebok. Hakeem specializes in buying properties that are ripe for development via public improvements like stadiums or train stops. Do they share any children from their relationship? Moreover, he has played for the national team of both Nigeria and the United States. Consequently, Olajuwon emerged as the Rockets franchise player. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2808952&cache=false" 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 was given the opportunity to join the US national team at the Olympics in 1996, and he grabbed the opportunity to be part of a gold medal-winning team. On March 9, 1991, he altered his name from Akeem to the more conventional spelling of Hakeem. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. var qs = Object.keys(params).reduce(function(a, k){ a.push(k + '=' + encodeURIComponent(params[k])); return a},[]).join(String.fromCharCode(38)); In that New York Times profile, Hakeem explained: "I have been blessed thus far to be able to work with my own capital, which gives me the ability to decide when I want to sell as opposed to having a bank loan hanging over my head that in some cases, can force you to sell even though you may not be ready to.". But basketball was always lurking, he said, at his dads urging. Van Price always knew Abdullah Olajuwons raw skill set was special he just needed an extra ingredient to take his game to the next level. He led the Rockets to the 1994 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, winning the title in seven games to bring Houston its first professional sports championship in over 30 years. Olajuwon is the daughter of former NBA center Hakeem Olajuwon. He led Houston to victory over a potent Louisville team in the national semifinals, but the heavily favored Cougars lost to North Carolina State in the title game. Foregoing his final year of college eligibility, Olajuwon was selected as the number one overall pick of the 1984 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. He was picked up in the 1984 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. Hakeem is shy and respectful. Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton celebrate Olympic gold. Hakeem Olajuwon is a former Nigerian-American professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1984 to 2002, representing the teams, Houston Rockets, and Toronto Raptors. http://www.BoredFIlmGrads.comhttp://www.Facebook.com/BoredFilmGrads@BoredFIlm Visit. })(document); Your email address will not be published. The Rockets won the flip and was selected as the top pick in the 1984 draft, ahead of stars like Michael Jordan, and Charles Barkley. The couple has two children. 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