"To me, it showed versatility" - Michael Jordan on Hakeem Olajuwon's most impressive defensive trait
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Michael Jordan wasn't just an offensive talent. The Chicago Bulls icon was also known for his defensive chops, and he was even crowned as the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year in 1988.
It's safe to say that Jordan knew the nuances on both ends of the court. On defense, Michael understood that smaller players had a higher steal percentage than bigs, while bigs had a higher block percentage.
Defensive beast
So when MJ discovered that Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon was elite at both, all the GOAT could do was praise him.
"Olajuwon, he was in the top 10 in five categories: steals, rebounds, blocked shots, scoring, and shooting percentage," Jordan said. "To have a big guy of his size to be in the top 10 in steals, you would assume that he would be in blocks, which to me showed versatility and what type of guy he really was."
Michael wasn't the only one impressed by Olajuwon's defensive skills. The entire league was in awe of the African center, and Hakeem was awarded with the Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1993 and 1994. For his complete play and leadership, 'The Dream' was also declared league MVP in 1994.
The term two-way player is used frequently these days. However, in Olajuwon's time, two-way players had the hardware and respect of their colleagues to prove their case.
The Big African
Olajuwon and the Rockets have a distinction for being the only team to sneak in two titles in the middle of the Chicago Bulls' double three-peats. Many even believe that Houston could have beaten Chicago if the two had met in the NBA Finals.
We can never know for sure what would happen. What we do know is that Jordan respected Olajuwon's talents. However, according to Robert Horry, Hakeem also put fear in Michael's mind.
"If you ask Michael Jordan what one guy he ever feared, it was Hakeem Olajuwon," Horry said. "He used to say, 'I'm scared of the big African.' Because [Hakeem is] from Nigeria."
This is difficult to confirm because, first, it came from someone else's mouth, and second, it's difficult to imagine Jordan fearing a fellow basketball player. Whatever the case, it's nice to hear competitive sluggers praising one another. This is what competition is all about. When you're on the court, you tire yourselves out in combat, but once the dust settles, you shake hands and pay your respects.