http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5543946.html

 Feb. 15, 2008, 9:56AM
Olajuwon to be nominated for Hall of Fame

By FRAN BLINEBURY
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

NEW ORLEANS — Throughout his storied 18-year NBA career, Hakeem Olajuwon
could never quite get his arms around the idea of one day being a Hall of
Famer.

Now, however, in his first year of eligibility, the Basketball Hall of Fame
is reaching out to embrace the Rockets icon.

Olajuwon is expected to be on a list of finalists for the Hall of Fame's
Class of 2008 when it is announced today at a ceremony that is part of
All-Star Weekend. Likely joining him on the list of finalists will be former
collegiate and pro rival Patrick Ewing, along with ex-stars Adrian Dantley,
Chris Mullin and Dennis Johnson, along with and longtime NBA coaches Pat
Riley and Don Nelson.

"It is a great honor," Olajuwon said. "I never started out playing the game
trying to get that kind of recognition.

I just liked to compete and always thought about trying to win the next game.

"I do remember in the later years of my career hearing on TV or reading in
newspaper articles, 'He's a future Hall of Famer.' I could never envision
myself on that kind of platform. But now to be on such a great list, I think
it solidifies everything that I was able to accomplish on the court."

The 45-year-old Olajuwon, born in Lagos, Nigeria, enrolled in the University
of Houston in 1980 and played three seasons with the Cougars, leading them to
the Final Four three times. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1984 NBA
draft by the Rockets and spent 17 seasons as the cornerstone of the franchise
in his adopted hometown, leading the team to back-to-back NBA championships
in 1994 and 1995.

Olajuwon was traded to Toronto on Aug. 2, 2001, played one season for the
Raptors, and officially retired in 2003. He averaged 21.8 points and 11.1
rebounds and finished as the NBA's all-time leader in blocked shots with
3,830. In leading the Rockets to the NBA title in 1994, he became the only
player in history to win Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year
and NBA Finals MVP in the same season.

"When I read or hear all of the accomplishments, sometimes I think to myself,
'Did I really do that?' " Olajuwon said. "It was never my goal to achieve
statistics or to set records. All I ever wanted to do was win the next game
when I went onto the court. I loved to compete. I loved to test my skills
against all of the other great players."

See you in September
The Hall of Fame Class of 2008 will be announced at the Final Four in San
Antonio on April 7, with enshrinement ceremonies to be held at the Hall of
Fame in Springfield, Mass., from Sept. 4-6.

One of Olajuwon's fiercest rivals was Ewing, and it is only fitting that the
pair of big men who were linked throughout their playing careers likely will
enter the Hall together. Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas defeated Olajuwon's Cougars
in the NCAA championship game in 1984, and 10 years later, Olajuwon's Rockets
beat Ewing's New York Knicks for the NBA crown. In 1997, Olajuwon and Ewing
were voted among the NBA's 50 Greatest Players.

Fitting to go in with Ewing
"So much about the careers of Patrick and myself were the same," Olajuwon
said. "We first met in college, and he won. We were both very fierce
competitors who had the ultimate respect for each other.

"We both spent many years in our NBA careers trying to win a championship,
and when I finally won my first in 1994, it was an even bigger accomplishment
because it came against such a great competitor as Patrick.

"We spent our entire careers across from each other. I was in the West
(Conference), and he was in the East. We were both big men. We were both the
leaders of our teams. We were both All-Stars. To make the Hall of Fame with
him is an honor."

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