Reading how Hakeem finished his career in such a fitting finale in Houston, it made me wonder how much better his career would be if he had a Hall of Fame calibre player who could act as an ideal foil to his unstoppable inside play. Each time I watch the Hakeem video, it never ceases to amaze me how he did so much with the supporting cast he had in the 80s. Clyde was the first player that came to mind as a possible choice for a one two combo. Big, strong, creative and runs the floor like a Mack Truck on nitro. He and Hakeem would have Phi Slamma Jamma the NBA with their play. Imagine the fast break, “Hakeem rejects Magic on the drive, corrals the loose ball, flicks the ball to Clyde who pushes the ball up court, Hakeem sprints to the other end and Clyde throws a high arching alley-op to a streaking Hakeem for a one-handed slam.” They would have rivalled Showtime in entertainment. Then in the half-court they can take turns posting up and wait for the defence to pick their poison. Michael was another consideration but then again, it would have made the 90s, boring without a worthy East champion to match up on. I went for someone who would never make any Rockets list of favourite players in the near future but who I have no doubt would have made Hakeem an even better player and form the best tandem in the NBA. John Stockton. I’m not the biggest John Stockton especially when he sank that trey that killed all hope of a Dream match-up with the Bulls in 97, but there is no question he is the best point guard to play in the NBA. Magic is not point guard he was more a prototypical point forward who happens to slot in the point guard position for the Lakers nicely. Imagine Stockton to Olajuwon on the break or on the pick and roll. They would have taken all comers and say next please. If Malone looks like a Kenworth rolling to the basket after a perfect Stockton pass then Hakeem is a B-52 bomber about to Spalding whoever is dumb enough to be down low. Seriously, how many points would Karl Malone accumulated without Stockton’s radar-like passes on the break or ability to set-up the pick and roll. More than half would have been open dunks, lay-ups or jump shots all set up by Stockton. Talk about half your work done for you already. In short, Malone would be lost without Stockton and because he never had a low-post game he’d be lucky to be a low 20-ppg scorer. Nothing cracks me up as much as when Malone tried to heave those so-called “feathery” fall-aways that he love so much especially against the Bulls in the Finals. Clang. Hakeem and Stockton would have worked the inside and perimeter game beautifully. How many more open looks would Stockton have? How many more assists would Hakeem had? How many more points Hakeem would have scored? Hakeem would have been a career 30 ppg center with several scoring titles, played more games and have a higher FG %. There would be less pounding for Hakeem in the paint as the pick and roll would have been utilized more. Hakeem being a rhythm player would have enjoyed all the crisp deliveries that led to easy points and we all know that when he gets going he’ll drop 40 quick smart. As for Stockton, he would have been thinking all his Christmas presents have come all at once. He’d be threatening 20 ppg along with 20 apg year in, year out. Stockton could take even more chances on defence and gotten more steals because he has the Eraser to rub out any mistakes. All the moaning about the lack of a true point guard would have been squashed. Imagine all the rings in the 90s belonging to the Rockets and the Bulls being the perennial bridesmaids. It would be have been known as the Clutch City Decade. Hakeem would have retired as the all-time leading scorer along with the shot-blocking title. Along with half a dozen MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Awards, ten rings and probably ten Finals MVP. As an added bonus, Stockton would never be known as a flopper or dirty because Hakeem would have taught him how to play like a warrior. It would have been a better Dream. Here's a toast to Hakeem. You are a living LEGEND.
That is a weak "tribute". You are honoring him by pointing out how his career could have been better? Why not put Jordan on that team as well? I am sure he would have had more rings if that was the case. The fact is that Kenny Smith, Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Clyde, OT, and many others contributed to the 2 championships. If he had other players around, who is to say that Hakeem would have developed his game to the point that he did? The bottom line is at this point, why still do the, "What ifs" and "What coulda beens". We should concentrate on what happened and how great his career was.
Probably because was selected as one of the NBA's top 50 players, has had his number retired by the Rockets, and indeed formed a fantastic one-two combo with Dream whilst winning the Rockets' second championship
I don't know about you, but if I had my choice I would much rather see the Dream Shake rather than Stockton to Malone's patented "pick-roll-whistle-YAWN!" Malone can have the damned scoring record. Memories of Hakeem playing the way he did are worth 1000x more than the moement that a broken down Malone (or Hakeem )creaks across the finish line for the record
Jordan could have been a Rocket. The Bulls wanted to trade him for Sampson straight up. Seriously, that could have been the best team in the history of sports period. They could have had 8 to 10 NBA championships.
It was Portland that wanted to trade the #2 pick for Sampson, a pick we could have used on Jordan....but close enough.
Yeah, you're right. But wasn't there an occasion later on, when Jordan was hurt, that the Bulls wanted to trade him for Sampson. I don't remember exactly, but it was something on ESPN where they talk about "say it isn't so" moments or something and one section was titled "Rockets Could Have Had Jordan; Twice."
Well who do you guys think would have won more championships hakeem and stockton or hakeem and jordan I know Jordan is the greatest but it is an interesting question, i dont know if jordan would have been here if there would have enough shots oh well Maybe we have a diffrent version of the ones listed above with Francis Griffin and Ming.
I hate John Stockton. That two-bit hack. There's no one in the sport of basketball who can cheat like Stockton. And there's no one else on the face of this earth who could live with himself if he were like John Stockton. Dirty son of a ... Please don't group Stockton with Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon again. Dream's a class act who could carry an entire NBA team (and dare I say an entire city?!) on his shoulders.
