Hakeem Olajuwon reflects on NBA legacy of late David Stern

At Friday’s game in Houston, Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon spoke about the legacy and impact of late NBA commissioner David Stern.

Shortly after David Stern took the job as NBA commissioner in 1984, the first name he called on draft night was that of Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon.

Olajuwon, a native of Nigeria who played college basketball as star big man at the University of Houston, was the No. 1 overall draft pick that year. He went on to have a Hall of Fame career and was the best player on the only two NBA title teams to date in Rockets franchise history.

Stern, of course, passed away earlier this week at 77 years old after suffering a brain hemorrhage last month. With Olajuwon in Houston to take in Friday’s game between the Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers, the 56-year-old offered his thoughts on Stern’s legacy and impact.

Olajuwon told ESPN:

It was a great loss. What a wonderful man. I feel so honored just to know him. A true leader. … Business-wise, basketball-wise, an unbelievable person.

As you see, everybody is talking about his vision. He’s a visionary. He’s global, and he believed in it. And it led all the people around him to buy into the same program.

By all accounts, Stern and Olajuwon maintained a great relationship during and after the latter’s playing days ⁠— with both men passionate about the league’s increasing globalization.

Stern stepped away as commissioner in early 2014, making the NBA Draft in June 2013 his 30th and final time to announce the first-round selections. After Stern’s last pick announcement in that draft, Olajuwon surprised Stern on stage to bring his career full circle.

Before Friday’s game at Toyota Center, the Rockets played a tribute video regarding the late commissioner’s ties to Houston and subsequently held a moment of silence to honor Stern’s memory.

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