NBA: 5 thoughts from ESPN’s top 74 all-time greats list

5. Hakeem Olajuwon is probably too low

Rank: 12 

During his lengthy 18-year career, Hakeem Olajuwon averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds, 1.7 steals per game, and 3.0 blocks per-game as arguably the premier big man of the 1990s. His hand-eye coordination around the rim coupled with his impeccable footwork on the floor made him a nuisance in the air and on the block. “The Dream” was the ultimate two-way center in an era where such a label was expected for many big men of his time.

What separated Hakeem from every other big was his elite play on both ends of the floor. Such was displayed in years where he’d average for a season over four black a game to couple with his 24- and 26-point averages in 89-90 and 92-93 respectively.

Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to consecutive championship titles in the 1994-95 and 1995-96 season where he averaged career-highs in points-per-game at around 27 for the season. During this run, MJ was out of the league due to retirement and consecutive title opportunities were up for grabs.

“The Dream” made such opportunities immune to everyone else but him thus arguably cementing his reputation as the best center of the grit-and grind 1990s. During those playoff runs, Hakeem had Hall of Fame statistical averages that further cemented his legend as the premier big of his time (1993-94: 28.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 4.0 BPG; 1994-95: 33.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.2 STL, 2.1 BPG).

You’d think that such a track record should have the Houston Rocket great within the top 10.