America’s National Basketball Association, (NBA’s) legend, Hakeem Olajuwon will this week grace the studios of Cable News Network’s African Voices Changemakers, sponsored by telecommunications giant, Globacom.
The twelve-time NBA All-Star (1985–1990, 1992–1997); two-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP both in 1994,1995, will this week sit with the programme’s anchor, Larry Madowo to regale viewers with his success story and how he left Nigeria, his land of birth, for the United States of America where he was nicknamed “The Dream” owing to his rare talent on the basketball pitch.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria on January 21, 1963, Olajuwon who stood at an imposing 7ft began playing basketball in 1978 at the Muslim Teachers’ College in Lagos before relocating to America in the early 80s. There, he played basketball for the University of Houston’s team called The Cougars.
He was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the first overall selection of the 1984 NBA draft known for its star-studded team which included other basketball greats as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton.
Olajuwon was a member of the 1996 Olympic gold medal-winning United States national basketball team, and was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016.
In October 2021, he was honoured as one of the league’s greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
His outstanding career came to a close as the league’s all-time leader in blocks (3,830). He is one of four NBA players to record a quadruple-double, and is the all-time leader in 5×5 games (when a player has at least 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks) with six.
Among a string of awards, Olajuwon was a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and the 1994 NBA MVP. He was also NBA Most Valuable Player (1994) and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players and basketball centers of all time whose amazing career and legacy have rubbed off on current NBA stars.
The edition airs this Saturday on DSTV Channel 401 at 8.30a.m. and 12a.m. A repeat will be broadcast on Sunday at 4.30a.m. and 7p.m.; Monday 4a.m. and 6.45p.m. and Tuesday at 6.45p.m. The repeat broadcasts continue next week Saturday at 12a.m and 8.30a.m.; Sunday 4.30a.m.and 7p.m. and Monday at 4a.m.all West African Time.
