Dalia and her Hall Of Fame husband have lived between the US and Jordan for many years. Otherwise he would have won it for a third consecutive year, averaging 13.8 a game (league leader Robinson averaged 13.0 rpg). This prevented him from playing for the US team because he wasnt a citizen and FIBA regulations prevented a player from representing multiple National teams. . In his autobiography, Living the Dream, Olajuwon mentions an intriguing draft trade offered to the Rockets that would have sent Clyde Drexler and the number two pick in the 1984 NBA draft from Portland in exchange for Ralph Sampson. Nevertheless, Dalia and her husband followed the Islamic custom of prearranged marriages. It's not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles you read on the site. At home, at the mosque I would read it in airplanes, before games and after them. #WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/OO1eLRO3nL, Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 6, 2017. Alon Abisola Arisicate Ajoke Olajuwon, better known as Abi Olajuwon (born July 6, 1988) is a Nigerian-American basketball coach and former player. She is a Nigerian citizen, whereas her ethnicity is HausaFulani. He has also been featured in several documentaries, such as Clutch City, Hakeem the Dream, and Arvydas Sabonis 11. How Janet Yellen Built Her $16 Million Fortune? He was selected in the 1984 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. Here are some notable quick facts that you should know about the retired Nigerian -American basketball legend. In 1996, he married Dalia Asafi in a marriage that was set up by her family. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (; [olauw]; born January 21, 1963), formerly known as Akeem Olajuwon, is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. Daughters: Abi Olajuwon, Rahmah Olajuwon, Aisha Olajuwon; Hakeem Olajuwon's Early Life, Childhood & Family Background. She made the WNBA draft in 2010 and was selected by Chicago Sky. He also averaged a league-leading 3.95 blocks per game. She belongs to mixed (Nigerian-African) ethnicity and holds a Nigerian nationality. The third and the only boy's name is Abdullah. Reports say that Hakeem made about $3.8 million in 1995 from endorsement deals. . He credits his parents with instilling virtues of hard work and discipline into him and his siblings: They taught us to be honest, work hard, respect our elders, and believe in ourselves. Olajuwon has expressed displeasure at his childhood in Nigeria being characterized as backward. Hakeem Olajuwon was the first player to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP all in the same season (19931994). FIBA rules prohibit players from representing more than one country in international competition, and players must go through a three-year waiting period for any nationality change. Olajuwon, a 33-year-old Nigerian who is now a U.S. citizen, worshiped for years at the same Houston mosque as the bride's father. The 198990 season was a disappointment for the Rockets. Hakeem Olajuwon is 55 years old. When he called the staff, they told him to take a taxi out to the university. Olajuwon returned from that summer a different player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors. 2 daughters (Rahmah Olajuwon and Aisha Olajuwon). From 1991 to 1998, every NBA championship team included either Jordan or Olajuwon; furthermore, at least one of Drexler, Jordan, and Olajuwon was involved in every NBA Finals from 1990 to 1998. [1][2] She played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma, and ESPN basketball analyst Nancy Lieberman stated before the 200607 season that the addition of Olajuwon would help propel the Sooners into contention for the NCAA championship. Olajuwon spun counterclockwise and faked a jump shot. In Olajuwons college career and early years in the NBA, he was often undisciplined, talking back to officials, getting in minor fights with other players and amassing technical fouls. Dalia Asafi is popular as the wife of Hakeem Olajuwon. The Rockets finished the 199091 season with a record of 5230 under NBA Coach of the Year Chaney. Today, the Hakeem Olajuwon Foundation exists in the United States. During their marriage, Asafi was 18 years old, while Hakeemwas 33. At SportyTell.com, we strive for fairness and accuracy. I grew up in an environment at schools where there were all different types of people.. Join Facebook to connect with Aisha Olajuwon and others you may know. In 2013, the DR34M also came out with basketball shoes. His reason for his endorsement of a shoe which is sold at a low price is due to his belief that poor people cant afford such shoes, and kids steal such shoes or sometimes kill for such shoes. In doing so he joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton as the only players in NBA history (at that point) to lead the league in rebounding and shot-blocking in the same season. The Rockets finished 5131, and advanced all the way to the Western Conference Finals where they faced the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. He is, to date, the last player from a losing side to be granted this honor. As in 1994, Olajuwon was the only Rockets All-Star. Olajuwon was at the pinnacle of his career. The book tells the story of a players move from Nigeria to the United States, as well as the highs and lows of his career and the rivalries he had with other players. According to Hakeem, one of the reasons why they chose to live in Jordan was because it is an Islamic country that is very friendly to immigrants. As a young boy, Olajuwon was interested in sports, but not basketball at first. I didnt dabble in the faith, I gave myself over to it. His religion dominates his life, Drexler said in 1995. Olajuwon was considered the top amateur prospect in the summer of 1984 over fellow collegians and future NBA stars Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton, and was selected first overall by the Rockets in the 1984 NBA draft. Executed with uncanny speed and power, they are still regarded as the pinnacle of big man footwork. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon Net Worth & Basic source of earning is being a successful American Athlete. The Rockets won the series fairly easily, four games to one, shocking the sports world and landing Olajuwon on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Dennis Rodman Net Worth: Why Did Dennis Rodman Decide to Retire? Olajuwon was also an outstanding rebounder, with a career average of 11.1 rebounds per game. He outplayed centers such as Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaquille ONeal, and Dikembe Mutombo, and other defensive stalwarts such as Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone. In the 2000-2001 season, when he played for the Houston Rockets, he made $16.7 million. His agent cited his differences with the organization as being irreconcilable, and Olajuwon publicly insulted owner Charlie Thomas and the teams front office. He recalls being overjoyed when he first arrived in the United States to learn that he could now get a perfect shoe size. aisha olajuwon age. His parents owned a cement business. Olajuwon joined players such as Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Dikembe Mutombo and Gary Payton. He is one of only four players to have recorded a quadruple-double in the NBA, which have only been possible since the 197374 season, when blocked shots and steals were first kept as statistics in the NBA. Hakeem Olajuwon was born on 21 January 1963, in Lagos, Nigeria into a middle-class Yaruba family, and is a popular former basketball player. Flaked Season 3: Release Date, Cast, Trailer, And Where to Watch! This was his earliest memory in the introduction to basketball. In Clear Lake, California, he purchased a massive mansion and converted it into a boutique. Olajuwon was noted as sometimes playing better during the month of Ramadan, and in 1995 he was named NBA Player of the Month in February, even though Ramadan began on February 1 of that year. On defense, the big man can rebound and block shots. Olajuwon is the only player in NBA history to record more than 200 blocks and 200 steals in the same season. However, it is known that she was born in 1978 in Houston, Texas. Hall of Famer, NBA Champion and MVP @DR34M will be the #Texans Homefield Advantage Captain this Sunday against the @49ers! Their families entirely arranged their wedding. Olajuwon then tried to stand on the chair himself. Many of his battles were with his fellow Texas-based rival David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs. On defense, his rare combination of quickness and strength allowed him to guard a wide range of players effectively. With the 199293 season approaching, a reporter for the Houston Chronicle said that Olajuwon being dealt was as close to a sure thing as there is.. Nonetheless he was not traded and the Rockets began the season with a new coach, Rudy Tomjanovich. While Dalia was the first woman that the former basketballer got married to, she was not the first woman he dated. Hakeen once got into a long-term relationship with TV producer Lita Spencer in the 1980s. It has been said that a coach in Nigeria once asked him to dunk and demonstrated while standing on a chair. It will always be a big mans game if the big man plays the right way. Photo: abc13.com. He subsequently went on to mesmerize the NCAA division so much so that by the time the NBA draft came up, he was picked first overall, above players such as Michael Jordan. Is the age of Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a mystery to you? Olajuwon has worked with several NBA players, including power forward Emeka Okafor, and center Yao Ming. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a Nigerian-American basketball player who used to go by the name Akeem Olajuwon. Exploring Dougray Scotts Career and Net Worth, Zari Hassan Net Worth 2023: A Look into the Wealth of East, How Janet Yellen Built Her $16 Million Fortune? 7 Other Facts, Keke Wyatt Kids: Meet The 11 Children And Their Fathers, Lil Waynes Kids- Meet The Rappers 4 Children With 4 Baby Mamas, Sarah Jakes Roberts Children: Meet Her 6 Kids And Husband, Who Is Gertie Davis? Yes (Abi Olajuwon, Rahmah Olajuwon, Aisha Olajuwon) Income -Net Worth: $230 Million: Hakeem Olajuwon Age and Birth Information. Mohit Kamboj is an accomplished content editor with a wealth of experience in the publishing industry. The team rewarded him with a four-year contract extension toward the end of the regular season. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon has a net worth of $5.00 million (Estimated) which he earned from his occupation as Athlete. He once said that he was a strict Muslim and that Muslims werent allowed to date. Hakeem is not as interested in cars as most of the top-earning African footballers and other athletes. The team went on to win the gold medal in Atlanta. In his first year in the University, the NCAA didnt give him clearance to play and thus he was redshirted. Further, her partner Hakeem was born on January 21, 1963, as Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon to parents Salim and Abike Olajuwon. She played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma, and ESPN basketball analyst Nancy Lieberman stated before the 2006-07 season that the addition of Olajuwon would help propel the Sooners into contention for . Their sons, Abdullah and Abdul were born in Jordan before the family returned to the states. He never went out on a date. However, the Rockets were swept in the playoffs by the LA Lakers. 141k Followers, 1 Following, 30 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Hakeem Olajuwon (@thedr34m) His college career for the Cougars included three trips to the Final Four. He married Dalia Asafi in 1996 as per an arranged marriage. The relationship led to the birth of the basketballers first child, Abisola Olajuwon in 1987. Meanwhile, Hakeem played for Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors in center position from 1984 to 2002. He fell out with the Rockets management, but he returned in good form for the 1992/93 season, where he finished runner-up in the MVP race. Relatives. Suggest an alternative. Hakeem Olajuwon is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player who has a net worth of $320 million in 2023. On March 9, 1991, he altered his name from Akeem to the more conventional spelling of Hakeem, saying, Im not changing the spelling of my name, Im correcting it. During the tournament, he shared his minutes with Shaquille ONeal and David Robinson. The Golden Age of Tennis, 22 Most Beautiful Female Beach Volleyball Players in the world, Top 25 Hottest Female Surfers in the World Right Now, Kawhi Leonard Biography Facts, Childhood & Personal Life, Sebastian Vettel Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life, LeBron James Biography Facts, Childhood & Personal Life. He is one of the few known athletes who endorse shoes, not from very prominent brands such as Adidas, Nike, or Reebok. The two led the Rockets to the 1986 NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to the Boston Celtics. Management had also infuriated Olajuwon during the season when they accused of him of faking a hamstring injury because of his unhappiness over his contract situation. Also, Olajuwon bought a 41-acre piece of land near NASAs Johnson Space Center and turned it into a community for retired people. Thus, she could only be the housewife, like another beautiful lady Stacy Hornacek. Hakeem Olajuwon Net Worth. Olajuwon posted exceptional playoff numbers of 37.5 ppg and 16.8 rpg, plus a record for points in a four-game playoff series (150). Malone, who was then a center on the NBAs Houston Rockets, played games every off season with several NBA players at the Fonde Recreation Center. Biography of an undiscovered woman Dalia Asafi was born in 1978 in Nigeria. For his efforts Olajuwon was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. However, they lost in the first round again, this time to the Lakers. Following a dismal 1991 and 1992 season, Olajuwon requested a trade from the Rocket, citing contract issues as well as unconvincing performance. His parents still liked what he wanted to do with his life. The Rockets two-year championship run ended when they were eliminated in the second round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs by the eventual Western Conference Champion Seattle SuperSonics. The 198889 season was Olajuwons first full season as the Rockets undisputed leader. They married on August 8, 1996, in Houston. Kiran Rafiq Raghav Soni Davin Rashmikant Suthar Ishmael Timbo Kyle Jordan Watson Sashalee Williams BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS (Three-year Honours programme) Kartik Suresh BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MARKETING (Four-year Honours programme with placement year) Sandra Chizoba Abone Naomi Adegbile. His contract was indeed not good enough, as he received a low salary for a player of his Caliber and also a lack of contract negotiations clause in his contract. Facebook gives people the power. In todays money, thats the same as making about $27 million. Though, he is 2.13 m tall, he weighs about 116 kg. He was also the first foreign-born player to win the leagues MVP award. 2023 - Unleashing The Latest In Entertainment. He led the NBA in rebounding twice, during the 1989 and 1990 seasons. 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