1995 Shaq Calls out Hakeem

[Indazone]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Shaq-to-Hakeem-in-1995-I-want-you-one-on-one-?urn=nba-259999

Shaq to Hakeem in 1995: 'I want you one on one'
By Trey Kerby

Back in 1995, a young Shaquille O'Neal(notes) led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals. Pretty nice accomplishment for a 22-year-old. But once he got to the finals, things didn't work out too well as he was destroyed in every conceivable notion by the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon. Not only did Olajuwon go for more than 30 points in each game of the sweep, he also outscored O'Neal in every game and held the giant a point below his season average for the whole series. Pretty dominating little stretch of basketball by one of the best centers of all-time.
Hilariously — and this might be something people have known about for years but not me, so deal with it — Shaquille dropped a little note to Hakeem after the finals ended, challenging him to some one-on-one. Sports Illustrated's Andy Gray unearthed the note and it's pretty much the best thing ever.

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nba_experts__59/ept_sports_nba_experts-602245149-1280860328.jpg?ymoSfjDD7tRdVCe2

Hysterical. It's even funnier if you imagine Hakeem Olajuwon getting this in the locker room and laughing very loudly — albeit politely since this is Olajuwon after all — about Shaq challenging him to a one-on-one game after Hakeem had just destroyed him for four straight games. Cool challenge, Shaq, and way to sell out your teammates too. Never change.
As Skeets wisely noted, this is probably how those Taco Bell challenges got their start, so that's one of life's greatest mysteries that has now been solved. However, this note offers another mind-boggler — why did Shaquille O'Neal have a typewriter immediately after an NBA Finals game? And if he didn't and this was prepared before the game, why did he bring a type-written note admitting defeat to an NBA Finals game? I demand answers.

[lefty]

Back then, Shaq called out every center not named Shaq

[der Kaiser]

And he went on to rape Hakeem and every other center on his way to 4 nba titles, so?

[21_Blessings]

And he went on to rape Hakeem

:lol what?

[lefty]

And he went on to rape Hakeem and every other center on his way to 4 nba titles, so?
:lol:lol:lol:lol:lol:lol

lolwut


Troll alert

[Indazone]

Hakeem vs Shaquille O’Neal: 1995 NBA Finals

Game 1: Olajuwon: 31 pts - O’Neal 26 pts
Game 2: Olajuwon: 34 pts - O’Neal 33 pts
Game 3: Olajuwon: 31 pts - O’Neal 28 pts
Game 4: Olajuwon: 35 pts - O’Neal 25 pts
By the end of those 1995 Finals, Olajuwon was clearly ahead of Robinson and Ewing.

Shaquille O’Neal, in a 1995 interview, called Olajuwon the best center in the game. “He’s got great moves, a great attitude. He’s a class act. I have no problem with Hakeem being called the best player in the game.” Of course, at the time, Olajuwon and O’Neal were represented by the same agent and agency. But O’Neal was giving respect to the right player.

Shaquille O'Neal stated: "Hakeem has five moves, then four countermoves -- that gives him 20 moves." The Dream Shake made Olajuwon nearly unguardable for most of his career, because "big men" were not quick enough and guards not strong enough to stop him. Olajuwon himself traced the move back to the soccer-playing days of his youth. "The Dream Shake was actually one of my soccer moves which I translated to basketball. It would accomplish one of three things: one, to misdirect the opponent and make him go the opposite way; two, to freeze the opponent and leave him devastated in his tracks; three, to shake off the opponent and giving him no chance to contest the shot."

[Indazone]

And he went on to rape Hakeem and every other center on his way to 4 nba titles, so?

:lol:toast

[JamStone]

Hakeem was better, but it wasn't like Hakeem destroyed Shaq. Hakeem took like 30 shots a game. And Shaq less than 20. What good is showing the point totals without showing the number of field goal attempts and shooting percentages?

1995 NBA Finals

Hakeem: 32.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 48.3% FG (116 field goal attempts)
Shaq: 28 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 2.5 bpg, 59.5% FG (74 field goal attempts)

And I believe there was only one blowout in that series. Two of the games were decided by 3 points or fewer. Sure, Hakeem was better. But Shaq actually had justifiable logic to think he could take Hakeem one on one.

[Indazone]

I"m going with what Jordan said.

“I had to pick a center for an all-time best team, I would take Olajuwon. That leaves out Shaq, Patrick Ewing. It leaves out Wilt Chamberlain. It leaves out a lot of people. And the reason I would take Olajuwon is very simple: he is so versatile because of what he can give you from that position. It's not just his scoring, not just his rebounding or not just his blocked shots. People don't realize he was in the top seven in steals. He always made great decisions on the court. For all facets of the game, I have to give it to him."

-Michael Jordan

[lefty]

I"m going with what Jordan said.

“I had to pick a center for an all-time best team, I would take Olajuwon. That leaves out Shaq, Patrick Ewing. It leaves out Wilt Chamberlain. It leaves out a lot of people. And the reason I would take Olajuwon is very simple: he is so versatile because of what he can give you from that position. It's not just his scoring, not just his rebounding or not just his blocked shots. People don't realize he was in the top seven in steals. He always made great decisions on the court. For all facets of the game, I have to give it to him."

-Michael Jordan
The man who is 25000000000 times better than Kobe has spoken

[mystargtr34]

Hakeem was better, but it wasn't like Hakeem destroyed Shaq. Hakeem took like 30 shots a game. And Shaq less than 20. What good is showing the point totals without showing the number of field goal attempts and shooting percentages?

1995 NBA Finals

Hakeem: 32.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 48.3% FG (116 field goal attempts)
Shaq: 28 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 2.5 bpg, 59.5% FG (74 field goal attempts)

And I believe there was only one blowout in that series. Two of the games were decided by 3 points or fewer. Sure, Hakeem was better. But Shaq actually had justifiable logic to think he could take Hakeem one on one.

[der Kaiser]

I"m going with what Jordan said.

“I had to pick a center for an all-time best team, I would take Olajuwon. That leaves out Shaq, Patrick Ewing. It leaves out Wilt Chamberlain. It leaves out a lot of people. And the reason I would take Olajuwon is very simple: he is so versatile because of what he can give you from that position. It's not just his scoring, not just his rebounding or not just his blocked shots. People don't realize he was in the top seven in steals. He always made great decisions on the court. For all facets of the game, I have to give it to him."

-Michael Jordan

This is also the same man who thought Kwame Brown was the best player available in the 2001 draft.

[MannyIsGod]

Hakeem had the better series. Shaq had the better career and its not even close.

[Darrin]

Hakeem was better, but it wasn't like Hakeem destroyed Shaq. Hakeem took like 30 shots a game. And Shaq less than 20. What good is showing the point totals without showing the number of field goal attempts and shooting percentages?

1995 NBA Finals

Hakeem: 32.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 48.3% FG (116 field goal attempts)
Shaq: 28 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 2.5 bpg, 59.5% FG (74 field goal attempts)

And I believe there was only one blowout in that series. Two of the games were decided by 3 points or fewer. Sure, Hakeem was better. But Shaq actually had justifiable logic to think he could take Hakeem one on one.

Two words: Ball denial.
Three more: Leading your team.

[djohn2oo8]

Hakeem had the better series. Shaq had the better career and its not even close.

lol wut?

[MannyIsGod]

You obviously can't count so let me break it down for you.

4>2

[IronMexican]

And dat peak. 2000 Shaq was ridiculous.

[djohn2oo8]

You obviously can't count so let me break it down for you.

4>2

So Horry better than Jordan? Alot of the great players never won a ring, so does that automatically make Shaq better?

[SomeCallMeTim]

I know that note is a fake because it isn't written in crayon.

[MannyIsGod]

So Horry better than Jordan? Alot of the great players never won a ring, so does that automatically make Shaq better?

Of course Horry is not better than Jordan for obvious reasons. Jesus Christ you can't possibly be this stupid.

The Mav Krew is right. Rocket fan is fucking retarded.

[JamStone]

Two words: Ball denial.
Three more: Leading your team.

Shaq didn't have a problem getting getting the ball. He took about 3 more FGA in the NBA Finals against Hakeem and the Rockets than he did in the playoffs prior to the Finals. It was just that Hakeem was taking 30 shots a game. Of course he was going to score more, but it wasn't like he was outscoring Shaq 50 to 10. The difference was about 5 points while the difference in field goal attempts was over 10.

I'm not saying Hakeem wasn't better than Shaq in the 1995 NBA Finals. I'm refuting the notion that Hakeem "destroyed" Shaq in that NBA Finals.

Read the opening paragraph of the posted article:





Back in 1995, a young Shaquille O'Neal(notes) led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals. Pretty nice accomplishment for a 22-year-old. But once he got to the finals, things didn't work out too well as he was destroyed in every conceivable notion by the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon. Not only did Olajuwon go for more than 30 points in each game of the sweep, he also outscored O'Neal in every game and held the giant a point below his season average for the whole series. Pretty dominating little stretch of basketball by one of the best centers of all-time.

What's pitiful is how the author tried to make a point that Hakeem held Shaquille O'Neal to ONE POINT below his season average as evidence that Hakeem dominated Shaq. He failed to mention that 28 points was 3 points greater than what Shaq had been averaging in the those playoffs or that Hakeem allowed Shaq to shoot at a FG% greater than those playoffs or the regular season. But somehow holding Shaq to ONE POINT less than his "regular season" average proved Hakeem dominated Shaq that series. Forget that Shaq shot the ball better, rebounded and shot blocked better in that series. Keep Shaq from scoring that one extra elusive point meant domination.

That was what my post was in response to...

[ezau]

Of course Horry is not better than Jordan for obvious reasons. Jesus Christ you can't possibly be this stupid.

The Mav Krew is right. Rocket fan is fucking retarded.

Then why did you say 4>2? Horry had seven rings and Jordan only had six. Since 7>6, Horry should be better than Jordan with your logic

[scanry]

I don't think any sane person will argue whether Shaq was a better player than Hakeem. If you think so, you're just being a blind homer. I'll tell you what no player in the history of basketball had a better peak than Shaq had from 2000-2004.

Prime Shaq (especially in 2000) was much better than Hakeem and i'm sure even Kobe nuthuggers will agree to that.

Hakeem may have had more PPG, but Shaq was darn right close with 10 less shots per game, rebounded better, blocked more shots & had a much better FG%. Rockets fans can't have it both ways. Hakeem was much more mature than Shaq and obviously was a better leader of that team back then.

[Sean Cagney]

And he went on to rape Hakeem and every other center on his way to 4 nba titles, so?

Hakeem was retired or old as HELL by the time Shaq won his first title.

[scanry]

Jam with the goods, couldn't have said it better.

[lefty]

You obviously can't count so let me break it down for you.

4>2
So Matt Bonner and Fisher are better than Stockton and Malone ?

[MannyIsGod]

Then why did you say 4>2? Horry had seven rings and Jordan only had six. Since 7>6, Horry should be better than Jordan with your logic

I thought the fact that I was comparing franchise players would be obvious. Apparently I gave some of you too much credit.

[MannyIsGod]

So Matt Bonner and Fisher are better than Stockton and Malone ?

Yes.

[IronMexican]

Jam, with the goods.

[Killakobe81]

LOL
Yes 2000 Shaq was one scary dude ...and the main reason why so many Laker fans are frustrated with the BIG POTENTIAL ...

He could of and should of made this a no doubt debate ...
Shaq should of not ONLY been the greatest ever Center but he had the physical gifts to give Jordan a run at GOAT status ...

Shaq was ahead of his time and a freakish athlete almost the way MJ was but in a bigger package ...

The problem is Shaq never put in the kind of work MJ or more apropos for this discussion, Hakeem put in.

That is why many on here (not only Rox fans) give the Dream the nod over Shaq ...

Kobe has little do with it ...I just wanted much more from a guy as gifted as Shaq ...

[Bito Corleone]

Back then, Shaq called out every center not named Shaq

He still does, except now he's moved past centers.

[mystargtr34]

Why.. when someone says Player A is better than Player B because he has more rings ... when both A and B are of similar quality... does someone always has to say Robert Horry > MJ or Horry > anyone less than 7 rings.

I know alot of people are stupid.. as evidenced by this thread...but obviously the rings debate becomes legitimate when the two players in question are of similar stature... ei Shaq and Hakeem.

[scanry]

LOL
Yes 2000 Shaq was one scary dude ...and the main reason why so many Laker fans are frustrated with the BIG POTENTIAL ...

He could of and should of made this a no doubt debate ...
Shaq should of not ONLY been the greatest ever Center but he had the physical gifts to give Jordan a run at GOAT status ...

That is why many on here (not only Rox fans) give the Dream the nod over Shaq ...

Kobe has little do with it ...I just wanted much more from a guy as gifted as Shaq ...

I think it's the other way around!!!

Laker fans have no reason to be frustrated with Shaq. He single handedly gift wrapped your franchise 3 championships and it would have been 4 in 5 years had it not been for the Kobe-Shaq feud.

Dream had a great career, but Shaq has had a better one. People don't realize this, but Shaq has been a stat machine for 10 years (He's put in 29/14/4/3 numbers in his first 10 seasons). Those are GOAT numbers and for a big man to endure for so long is even more incredible.

I know a lot of Laker don't appreciate Shaq enough, but fans of other franchises would give any thing to have had Shaq in his prime. Shaq was the Big Unstoppable in his prime and no Hakeem nor Wilt could've stopped him.

It might be debatable but imo Shaq is the Greatest Center of all time!!!

[Killakobe81]

I think it's the other way around!!!

Laker fans have no reason to be frustrated with Shaq. He single handedly gift wrapped your franchise 3 championships and it would have been 4 in 5 years had it not been for the Kobe-Shaq feud.

Dream had a great career, but Shaq has had a better one. People don't realize this, but Shaq has been a stat machine for 10 years (He's put in 29/14/4/3 numbers in his first 10 seasons). Those are GOAT numbers and for a big man to endure for so long is even more incredible.

I know a lot of Laker don't appreciate Shaq enough, but fans of other franchises would give any thing to have had Shaq in his prime. Shaq was the Big Unstoppable in his prime and no Hakeem nor Wilt could've stopped him.

It might be debatable but imo Shaq is the Greatest Center of all time!!!

the game is about more than stats, Hollinger.

Shaq did much of what he did while:

1. getting INCREASINGLY out of shape
2. Feuding with the 2nd best player on the team
3. Bitching at the front-office
4. and building a whole town of bricks at the FT line
5. Spending more time rappping and acting in crappy movies

Yes I am grateful for his BIG PART in 3 titles ...and i do think he is a top 5 center and top 15 player no doubt about it ...


BUT

I wanted more out of him like I said if he had put forth the kind of dedication to his craft he could of been the GOAT and he most definitely would of made the best center debate moot.

So you are telling me if you have a kid with a world of potential ...you would tell them just do enough to get A's or would you push them to be the best they could be?

Another example the reason I think duncan is greater than david Robinson is that duncan was not blessed with the speed power or physique that david had YET he is STILL better at ALMOST EVRYTHING on a basketbal court exept maybe FT shooting and blocking shots because he worked on perfecting his craft. You can SEE it his footwork, his bankshot and teh way he helps his team on defense.

If you never seen any of the guys play you would take David or Shaq over Tim everyday of the week because of the size of Shaq or the muscles on David. But Tim busts they ass because he has mastered things thet neither of those 2 HOF'ers could.

THAT is MY frustration with Shaq...there is NO way in this world Duncan should be a better player than Shaq but IMHO he was and is ...

[Leetonidas]

You people need to stop using the "so Horry is better than...?" argument. No, Horry is not better than Shaq, or Jordan, or Malone, or whoever because he has 7 rings. He did not win those rings as a #1 option. Shaq, Jordan, Tim...all these guys did. That's the point.

[JamStone]

To be fair then, when people in this thread have said Shaq is better than Hakeem because 4>2, at the very least it should be 3>2 since Shaq's fourth title wasn't with him as "the guy" on the team. A tangental argument could say Hakeem is better than Shaq because 1>0, as in Hakeem won 1 title without any future Hall of Famers on his team while Shaq hasn't won any without a future Hall of Famer on his title teams.

There are numerous ways to try to skew arguments for one over the other, as there are with a bunch of other player v. player comparisons. Shaq in his prime was perhaps the most dominant offensive player ever (with due respect to Wilt as possibly more dominant) while Hakeem in his prime might have been the best and most complete player ever.

There are plenty of different variables you could add to argue one over the other, from their peak years to their overall careers. I think a Shaq in his prime facing Hakeem in his would have made for an incredible match-up and could have resulted in a different outcome if their two teams met while both in their prime. The scary part is that even before hitting his prime already put up 28 points on 60% shooting from the field on Hakeem in his prime in a playoff series. Shaq in his prime would have been more than a handful for Hakeem even in Hakeem's peak years.

[SanAntonioHeat]

Hakeem didnt have Kobe.


Flame suit on.

[Nash2TimeMVp]

LOL people who pull out shaqs 3 rings against hakeems 2 and automatically give him the edge are too close minded. there other considerations you have to take such as competition, era, coaching, supporting players etc.... wtf did shaq and the 3 peat lakers have to play against or what kind of centers did shaq have to go against when playing for that 3 peat team? a battered david robinson and who else? finals team like the pacers, nets, and 76ers were a fucking joke....also phil jackson is undoubtly a better coach than rudy t and kobe, fox, fisher, and the rest of that lakers squad was better than hakeems squad. to ultimately decide which player was better indivdiually based over rings is pretty fucking stupid. raise up your fucking game show some stats give me any other reason than 1>0.

[Indazone]

LOL people who pull out shaqs 3 rings against hakeems 2 and automatically give him the edge are too close minded. there other considerations you have to take such as competition, era, coaching, supporting players etc.... wtf did shaq and the 3 peat lakers have to play against or what kind of centers did shaq have to go against when playing for that 3 peat team? a battered david robinson and who else? finals team like the pacers, nets, and 76ers were a fucking joke....also phil jackson is undoubtly a better coach than rudy t and kobe, fox, fisher, and the rest of that lakers squad was better than hakeems squad. to ultimately decide which player was better indivdiually based over rings is pretty fucking stupid. raise up your fucking game show some stats give me any other reason than 1>0.


great sig of Nash!
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:4qLTFtKo-kQYWM:http://predominantlyorange.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/sloth-goonies.jpg&t=1

[Budkin]

Hakeem is his prime would destroy Shaq.

[der Kaiser]

LOL people who pull out shaqs 3 rings against hakeems 2 and automatically give him the edge are too close minded. there other considerations you have to take such as competition, era, coaching, supporting players etc.... wtf did shaq and the 3 peat lakers have to play against or what kind of centers did shaq have to go against when playing for that 3 peat team? a battered david robinson and who else? finals team like the pacers, nets, and 76ers were a fucking joke....also phil jackson is undoubtly a better coach than rudy t and kobe, fox, fisher, and the rest of that lakers squad was better than hakeems squad. to ultimately decide which player was better indivdiually based over rings is pretty fucking stupid. raise up your fucking game show some stats give me any other reason than 1>0.

How about a stacked Blazers and Kings teams in 2000 and 2002, or Tim Duncan in his prime from 1999 onwards?

1999 - 2007 Spurs >>>>>>>>> 1994 Knicks, 1995 Magic.

[Nash2TimeMVp]

How about a stacked Blazers and Kings teams in 2000 and 2002, or Tim Duncan in his prime from 1999 onwards?

1999 - 2007 Spurs >>>>>>>>> 1994 Knicks, 1995 Magic.
lol we are talking about the shaq 3 peat lakers and dreams 93-95 repeat. the spurs got curbstomped by the lakers in there championship runs. 1999, 2003-present spurs are not in the discussion..... also i don't really recall tim duncan having to guard shaq in most of those postseason matchups usually drob with a broken back or some 7 foot stiff that shaq would manhandle. also the only times the spurs have beaten the lakers at there peak was 2003. 1999 was a young kobe with kurt rambis has head coach and who knows who else was on that roster

ya the blazers and kings were good but so were the jazz, suns, supersonics, knicks, magic all which rockets had to play. just face it. shaqs situation in la for that 3 peat was much more favorable than hakeems in 93-95, coaching, competition, surrounding players etc. which gives him the oppurtunity to win that much more, if shaq had any of dreams qualities off the court he could have won 5 straight with phil, kobe and the rest of the lakers. also on an indvidual player account i would agree with michael jordan and take dream over oneal. when your only arsenal is to back down the opponent and dunk the ball and hope you make a free throw it's pretty easy to pick dreams 4 moves and 5 counter moves as my option.