Hoops Habit
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Best Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee from each NBA franchise

By Daniel Lubofsky

INGLEWOOD, CA- JUNE 7: Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls during Game Three of the 1991 NBA Finals on June 7, 1991 at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CA- JUNE 7: Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls during Game Three of the 1991 NBA Finals on June 7, 1991 at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets (Credit: Tim Defrisco/ALLSPORT) /

Best Houston Rockets Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee: Hakeem Olajuwon

The Portland Trail Blazers have long been chided over their selection of Sam Bowie in the 1984 Draft, one spot ahead of Michael Jordan. The Houston Rockets passed on MJ as well with the No. 1 pick, but they can easily justify their selection given how well it worked out for the organization in the coming years.

Hakeem Olajuwon was everything you could ever want from a big man in the 1980s. He was tall but athletic, strong but nimble on his feet. A 12-time All-Star, he had the most unguardable array of post moves in league history along with a soft touch from the elbow to complement his inside dominance.

His precise footwork made him equally adept at the defensive end, where few players could get around the seven-footer. Hakeem’s timing and sheer size made him one of the most feared rim-protectors in the game who wound up amassing the most blocks in NBA history.

Every legend has a defining moment, but for Olajuwon, it’s a two-year stretch from 1994-95. Jordan no longer ruled the league and left the championship up for grabs as he pursued a career in baseball. Those who had suffered at MJ’s expense were foaming at the mouth, but it was Hakeem who took them all on and came out of the other side a two-time champion.

During Houston’s run to back-to-back titles, Olajuwon was swift in filling out a once empty trophy case. In the 1993-94 campaign, he became the only player ever to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season. He followed up that glorious year with another Finals MVP, wrapping up a historic stretch that validated his elite level of play.

Would the Rockets have been better off selecting Jordan first overall? Perhaps, but there remains no shame to this day in taking Olajuwon. An all-time great player, he is one of the most complete centers with averages of 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game along with a level of prowess in the post we may never again see.