| Hakeem Olajuwon Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 7 ft |
| Weight | 116 kg |
| Date of Birth | January 21, 1963 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Hakeem Olajuwon aka “the Dream”, is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1984 to 2002, playing center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Houston Rockets and the latter Toronto Raptors.
Born Name
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon
Nick Name
Hakeem
Sun Sign
Aquarius
Born Place
Lagos, Nigeria
Nationality
Education
Hakeem studied at the Muslim Teachers College in Lagos, Nigeria. Then, he moved to the United States and enrolled himself at the University of Houston training under the watchful eyes of Houston Cougars coach Guy Lewis. He had also been pursuing a major in physical education.
Occupation
Former Basketball Player
Family
- Father – Salim Olajuwon (Businessman)
- Mother – Abike Olajuwon (Businesswoman)
- Siblings – Afis Olajuwon (Sibling), Kudirat Olajuwon (Sibling), Yemi Kaka (Sibling), Tajudeen Olajuwon (Sibling), Akinola Olajuwon (Sibling), He has two more siblings.
Net Worth
Hakeem Olajuwon’s net worth was ‘$300,000,000’ according to ‘Celebrity Net Worth’.
Build
Athletic
Height
7 ft or 213 cm
Weight
116 kg or 255.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Hakeem has dated –
- Lita Spencer – Hakeem shares a daughter named Abi Olajuwon (b. July 6, 1988) with his high school sweetheart Lita Spencer. Abi is also a former professional basketball player and coach for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.
- Dalia Asafi – Hakeem tied the knot with a woman named Dalia Asafi on August 8, 1996, in Houston, with whom he has four children namely – Abdullah Olajuwon, Rahmah Olajuwon, and Aisha Olajuwon.
Race / Ethnicity
Black
Hakeem has Yoruba and Nigerian ancestry.
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Towering height
- He has a shaved head and keeps a goatee.
Religion
Islam
Hakeem Olajuwon Facts
- His parents were owners of a cement business in Lagos, Nigeria.
- He and his siblings were raised around the virtues of honesty, hard work, respect for elders, and believing in themselves.
- It wasn’t until the age of 15 that Hakeem began playing basketball at his high school. Before that, he had been playing as a soccer goalkeeper.
- After completing high school, Hakeem relocated to the United States where he faced a boatload of trouble to begin his basketball career as the National Collegiate Athletic Association wouldn’t give him clearance during the 1980-81 and 1981-82 games.
- Hakeem can fluently speak English, French, Arabic, and Yoruba.
- On March 9, 1991, he altered his name from “Akeem” to “Hakeem”.
- In 1996, he wrote he co-authored his autobiography Living the Dream, with Peter Knobler.
- According to sources, Hakeem had earned more than $110,000,000 in salary during his 18 years playing basketball.
- Hakeem was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
- In 2016, he was announced as a part of the “FIBA Hall of Fame.”
- Throughout his career, Hakeem won more than two dozen awards including 12 NBA All-Star events.
- He holds the NBA record for the most blocked shots (3,830). Aside from that, Hakeem is also the only player to record more than 3,000 blocked shots and 2,000 steals in a career.
Featured Image By U.S. Department of State / Flickr / Public Domain
