Tag: Hakeem Olajuwon

Rockets release extended video of Hakeem Olajuwon, Alperen Sengun workouts

Fresh off the best game of his young NBA career, the Rockets released an extended video of rookie center Alperen Sengun working with Hakeem Olajuwon on post moves.

Fresh off the most successful night (19 points, 14 rebounds) of his young NBA career, fans now have a chance to see what could be fueling some of the growth by Houston Rockets rookie Alperen Sengun.

In late January, the Rockets released a photo collage and an edited video of about one minute in length of Sengun working out with Rockets legend, two-time NBA champion, and Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon. The 19-year-old gave rave reviews to Olajuwon’s teaching on post moves.

On Thursday, the team released more than seven minutes of workout footage, which can be seen in the embedded video below. For the No. 16 overall pick from the first round of the 2021 NBA draft, Olajuwon is as good a resource for post technique as he could possibly hope to find.

For the 2021-22 season as a whole, the Turkish big man is averaging 8.8 points (48.3% FG), 4.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 18.8 minutes. Sengun will look to keep his momentum going, perhaps with lessons from “The Dream” in mind, when Houston concludes its pre-All Star break schedule on Thursday night at the Los Angeles Clippers.

Sengun will then take part in Friday’s Rising Stars tournament at All-Star Weekend featuring the NBA’s top rookies and sophomores.

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Rockets rookie Alperen Sengun gives rave reviews to Hakeem Olajuwon’s teaching

Alperen Sengun has started to work with Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon on post moves, and the rookie big man says it is already helping.

Alperen Sengun has started to work with Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon on post moves, and the rookie big man — taken at No. 16 overall in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft — says it is already helping.

In comments from Monday’s home practice at Toyota Center in Houston, Sengun told reporters (via a translator):

He taught me the post-up moves, and he taught me the spin moves. I use spin moves a lot in the game, but he told me how I can improve it, how I can do it better.

He told me I need to keep working on it and improve it. I started to work on the moves that he showed me in the practice. I’m trying those moves in the practice and also in the game. When I receive the ball, I am keeping all that he told me in that practice. I’m thinking about those moves in the game, in those positions.

“He was legend on that topic,” Sengun said of the Hall of Famer, former MVP, and two-time NBA champion. “He was unstoppable because he can shoot, and he was driving, and he has spin moves.”

“That’s why he was unstoppable,” the 19-year-old concluded. “I also believe that I will be unstoppable if I start to play like him, start to shoot like him, if I can play on the inside and outside.”

Sengun, who started Sunday’s game due to Eric Gordon’s injury absence, could have another chance to start on Tuesday in New Orleans. As of Monday, Gordon remained sidelined by his left heel injury.

For the 2021-22 season as a whole, the Turkish big man is averaging 8.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 18.4 minutes per game.

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Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon begins working with Alperen Sengun on post moves

Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon is renowned for his teaching of post moves, and he’s working on them now with rookie center Alperen Sengun.

Fresh off a career night in mid-December, rookie big man Alperen Sengun said he planned to work on his post moves in the future with legendary Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon.

A few weeks later, it appears those training sessions with the two-time NBA champion, league MVP, and Hall of Famer are now underway.

On Saturday, the Rockets released a video of Olajuwon working with Sengun in a one-on-one session on the Toyota Center practice court.

“I watch him play,” Olajuwon says of Sengun in the team’s video. “It seems like he’s very strong, the way he backs guys down. What we need now is the control of the ball, and his spin.”

The video goes on to show Olajuwon working with Sengun on the technique and timing of his spin move, among other things.

Just 19 years old, Sengun is averaging 8.8 points (48.8% FG), 4.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 18.0 minutes per game. The 6-foot-10 big man from Turkey was drafted at No. 16 overall in the 2021 first round.

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Where Rockets rank among the greatest nicknames in NBA history

“Hakeem the Dream” and “Clyde the Glide” are among Houston’s best contributions to elite NBA nicknames, but they’re far from alone. Here’s a comprehensive list through Rockets history.

The best sports nicknames are colorful accents that effortlessly add a dash of flavor to the games we watch and play.

Some originate as terms of endearment, while others are bestowed as labels of ineptitude. That got us wondering about where some of the greatest players in basketball history — such as Michael Jordan (Air), LeBron James (King James) and Earvin Johnson (Magic) — rank in the pantheon of great NBA nicknames.

Baseball, with its long and rich history, once generated vivid monikers such as the Sultan of Swat (Babe Ruth) and the Splendid Splinter (Ted Williams). But basketball, with its playground roots and hip-hop culture, arguably is the sport with the most imaginative sports nicknames today.

With that in mind, Thomas Neumann of Rookie Wire took a shot at ranking the 101 greatest nicknames in NBA history. See below for where players with ties to the Houston Rockets were ranked in that list.

All nickname commentary and history is from Neumann.

Rockets rookie Alperen Sengun plans to work with Hakeem Olajuwon on footwork

Rookie center Alperen Sengun tells The Athletic’s Kelly Iko that he plans to work with legendary Rockets big man Hakeem Olajuwon on post footwork.

Fresh off a career night with 19 points and 11 rebounds, rookie center Alperen Sengun wants to do even more in Houston. One way to do that is with the help of legendary Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon.

In a new interview with The Athletic, Rockets beat writer Kelly Iko writes that Sengun’s “eyes light up” when he speaks about potentially working with the Hall of Famer, who has become known as a footwork guru.

Sengun, who was taken at No. 16 overall in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft, tells Iko about his desire to work with “The Dream”:

I was working in a young team in Turkey. I was watching a lot. When I watch, I learn quickly, and it also helps me a lot. But also I’d like to work with Hakeem Olajuwon about this. We will work in the future. He said, ‘I’ll teach you some moves.’ It’s good for me, I’m waiting.

Since retiring in 2002, Olajuwon has helped mentor numerous NBA players regarding post moves and footwork, including big names like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Dwight Howard.

Entering Thursday, Sengun has clearly taken on more minutes and responsibility as the 2021-22 NBA season has progressed. Over his last seven games, the 19-year-old big man is averaging 12.7 points (51.7% FG), 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 20.1 minutes.

Among his many on-court attributes, it is Sengun’s post moves and court vision that have led many fans to view him as a star in the making, and working with Olajuwon should only expedite his development.

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Nick Wright argues for Hakeem Olajuwon as greatest NBA defender ever

In response to Draymond Green arguing for himself as the NBA’s top all-time defender, Nick Wright explains why Hakeem Olajuwon and Tim Duncan should be No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

Current Golden State forward Draymond Green continues to make the case for himself as the NBA’s top defender of all-time. But there’s a Hall of Famer from the Houston Rockets who appears to have a better one.

Hakeem Olajuwon was twice named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, and he made first- or second-team All-Defense nine times. By comparison, Green has won Defensive Player of the Year just once and has made first- or second-team All-Defense six times.

Perhaps most notably, Olajuwon led his Rockets to a pair of titles as the team’s clear best player, which can’t be said for Green on a Warriors squad that is led by perennial MVP candidate Stephen Curry.

On Fox Sports 1’s First Things First, veteran NBA media personality Nick Wright recently made the case for Olajuwon over Green:

Draymond Green went out and once again and said he’s the greatest defender in NBA history. And, listen, Draymond is one of the greatest defenders ever. I believe he should have won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards, I’m on the record on that from years ago.

With that said: Stop it. Here’s the deal, Draymond. We don’t even have to talk Bill Russell, it’s too long ago, set him aside. If we just go post-merger, we’ve got to respect our elders here, and I’m not even talking about the great and underrated and Top 75 snub Sidney Moncrief, or Dennis Rodman, or Scottie Pippen, or even Dikembe Mutombo.

Even if you think you’re better than all of those guys, the two greatest defenders in modern NBA history are: No. 2, the somehow wildly underrated Tim Duncan, and No. 1 with a bullet, unquestionably the greatest defensive player of the last 50 years in the NBA, Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon. Hakeem’s blocks record will never be broken, ever. He has 3,800 blocks. The next closest is 3,200. If you added up Ben Wallace’s blocks and Dwight Howard’s blocks, you would barely pass Hakeem’s blocks, okay? Steals, he’s 10th all-time. As a center! There’s not another center in the top 60.

Hakeem Olajuwon is the greatest defender of all-time and I’m not asking you to go to (old archives) to watch tapes of him. Your guys’ careers damn near overlapped. So, I respect you Draymond, but just simmer down a bit. Hakeem “The Dream”: Greatest defender ever. Everybody knows it. Let’s move on. Thank you, Draymond.

Wright’s complete rant on Green versus Olajuwon, which runs for approximately two minutes, can be viewed below.

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Jae’Sean Tate joins Hakeem Olajuwon with historic line for Rockets

Tate joined Hakeem Olajuwon as the only Houston players to ever record 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ blocks in a single game.

With injuries quickly piling up, the Houston Rockets didn’t have three of their expected starters (Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., and Jalen Green) for most of Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma City. But the young and improving squad somehow found a way to win, anyway.

The biggest reason, of course, was second-year forward Jae’Sean Tate. The physical left-hander finished with 32 points (11-of-15 shooting, 73.3%), 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 blocked shots, including a dynamic performance in the fourth quarter as Houston scored 41 points and rallied back from a double-digit deficit with under 8:00 left.

“Honestly, tonight we just showed fight,” Tate said postgame. “It was one of those nights I had it going. My teammates and coach kept giving me the ball in my spots. And just our will and our fight to fight back. We needed that. Our first road win, and it wasn’t an easy one.”

So, how rare was Tate’s line? He joins Hall of Famer and all-time Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players in franchise history to ever have 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ blocks in a single game. Best of all, it led Houston (5-16) to a historic win, since the Rockets are now the first team in NBA history to ever win four straight games immediately after a losing streak of at least 15 games.

Tate and the suddenly surging Rockets will look to keep the winning streak and positive vibes going when Orlando visits Houston’s Toyota Center on Friday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central.

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Scottie Pippen thought he was joining ‘super team’ with 1999 Rockets

Scottie Pippen: “I didn’t realize how much Hakeem (Olajuwon) had diminished in the game. I didn’t realize Charles (Barkley) wasn’t as dedicated as I thought he would be.”

Scottie Pippen isn’t making many friends from the promotional media tour accompanying the release of his new book, “Unguarded.” While much of his criticism has targeted longtime teammate Michael Jordan, the Houston Rockets managed to catch a stray, as well, during Pippen’s recent interview with Frank Isola on Sirius XM NBA Radio.

After Jordan retired from the Chicago Bulls after the 1997-98 season, Pippen was a free agent and made a move to Houston to join forces with two other Hall of Famers: Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley.

But the 1999 Rockets went just 31-19 in a lockout-shortened regular season, placing them No. 5 in the Western Conference. They were then booted from the playoffs in the first round. After the season, Pippen got into a war of words with Barkley and effectively forced a trade to Portland, ending his Houston tenure after only one abbreviated season.

In hindsight, here’s how Pippen remembers it:

I thought I was joining a super team, to some degree, but it just didn’t work out. We just didn’t have the right chemistry, and we were aging a little bit. I felt that this wasn’t a good fit for me. Coming off a second back surgery, I needed a little more youth around me. I hadn’t realized how much Hakeem had diminished in the game, I’ll be honest. I didn’t realize Charles wasn’t as dedicated as I thought he would be.

I went to Houston to try and help Charles Barkley win a championship, and I felt that his dedication wasn’t there, once I got there. Me, myself, I had six (championships), so it wasn’t really about me trying to go out of my way to win a championship. That’s why I asked for the trade. I ended up in Portland with a younger team, a hungrier team, and players that I could kind of stand behind, and not have to stand out front anymore.

Pippen does own six championship rings, compared to zero for Barkley. However, all of those six were earned playing alongside Michael Jordan, who is viewed by most as being the best player in NBA history. Barkley never had the luxury of having a teammate of that caliber, and certainly not in 1999 — when Pippen averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 40.2 minutes per game with the Rockets after signing a maximum-salaried contract in the offseason.

It’s also worth noting that teammates on the ’99 Rockets strongly took Barkley’s side in the dispute and remain in his camp, to this day. Pippen’s comments on his media tour may draw attention to his book, but they’re also clearly missing some context related to his own role there.

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Sixers big man Andre Drummond doing things not seen since Hakeem Olajuwon

Philadelphia 76ers big man Andre Drummond is doing something not seen since the days of Hakeem Olajuwon.

Philadelphia 76ers big man Andre Drummond is on a veteran’s minimum deal as he tries to rebuild his value after a less than glamorous run with the Los Angeles Lakers. He did a terrific job of doing just that in Monday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Filling in for a resting Joel Embiid, the two-time All-Star delivered a stat line of 14 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and five steals while not turning the ball over. It was a terrific performance for Drummond given the team was so short-handed and in need of somebody to lead the way.

Drummond’s stat line was impressive on paper, but it grew even more impressive when compared to Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon. Drummond is the first player since Olajuwon in 1990 to have 10-plus points, 15-plus rebounds, 5-plus assists, and 5-plus steals with no turnovers in a game.

Nobody will confuse Drummond for Olajuwon, but his start to the season has been impressive for Philadelphia. He has fully embraced his role coming off the bench and giving the team exactly what it needs to get a win.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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NBA 75: See which former Houston Rockets made the historic list

Hakeem Olajuwon, James Harden, and Moses Malone are among former Rockets who were named to the NBA’s official list of 75 all-time greats.

Founded in 1967 in San Diego before moving to Houston in 1971, the Rockets are clearly one of the NBA’s flagship franchises. With 2,286 wins and 2,074 losses, the team’s .529 winning clip entering the 2021-22 season ranks eighth among the league’s 30 active clubs, and they are one of only 11 teams with multiple championships (1994, 1995).

As such, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see Houston well represented by more than 10 former players on the historic NBA 75 list. The NBA 75 is the league’s official 75th anniversary team, honoring the 75 greatest players in league history as selected by a panel of media and current and former players, coaches, general managers and team executives. (Because of a tie in voting, there were ultimately 76 players named.)

As far as representation by the Rockets, some are all-time franchise legends like Hakeem Olajuwon, James Harden, Moses Malone, and Clyde Drexler. Others are those who simply passed through for a season, such as Russell Westbrook, Scottie Pippen, and Carmelo Anthony.

In alphabetical order, here’s a rundown of players on the NBA 75 list who played with the Rockets at some point over their distinguished playing careers. Big names with Houston ties who did not make the list included Dwight Howard, Tracy McGrady, and Dikembe Mutombo.

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Editor’s note: Detailed information on the Houston careers of many of these players is available in our newly released all-time Rockets roster.