We're talking about the who's the better player. Not who had the better career.
Hakeem was more versatile/athletic than Duncan, and had superior footwork. Duncan relied on his bankshot for much of his career, Hakeem had plenty of post moves he could go to, AND was much better on defense. Hakeem could imitate any move Duncan pulled, but could Duncan replicate Hakeem's speed and agility? No. Basically Hakeem moved like a guard, was a better scorer, defender. And to say Hakeem didn't have a clutch factor is ignorant to the utmost degree.
Hakeem is a great player, I have him slightly ahead of Duncan, but he has received more post-career inflation than any player in NBA history IMO, tbh..
Duncan shoots that shot maybe twice a time, so I don't know how that's "relying on it for much of his career." Don't agree with Hakeem having superior footwork, either. Quicker, definitely, and Hakeem used his upperbody more effectively as well (see Dream Shake), but Duncan's low-post footwork is about as good as it gets. Only McHale was arguably better.
That said, I do agree Hakeem was better than Duncan. If Hakeem got a few breaks with regard to supporting cast, like Sampson not getting injured, he possibly has 2 to 4 more rings and could've been considered the GOAT.
Hakeem had the most superior post footwork of all time. Hakeem got everything he wanted and did it beautifully on the block. Better than mchale (2a) and duncan (2b)
And played against a bunch of 6'5" honkies like Dolph Schayes
a 6'7" Jew playing making the HOF as a center in the Russell era and people seriously trying to take that era seriously
My list:
1) MJ
2) Kareem
3) Magic
4) Bird
5) Shaq
6) Hakeem
7) Duncan
8) Wilt
9) Oscar
10) Moses Malone
Team: Boston Celtics
hmm..
I think it's well deserved. After Sampson and before his repeat teams, Hakeem's second banana was either Sleepy Floyd or Otis Thorpe.
Hakeem faced up as much as he did (if not more) post up. I agree his faceup footwork and footwork off the dribble, which is like a great guard's, is better than those two, much better, but I wouldn't put him ahead of them for back-to-the-basket low block footwork.
seems to me he had another shot at it with Drexler and Barkley...
Blake why are you so anti Hakeem? It seems like you are always in these threads trying to on Olajuwon.
True. Maybe if Sampson never gets injured those two never come to Houston. But let's be real, Hakeem played with some of the weakest supporting casts of all-time for a superstar.
Might have something to do with the Dream making david robinson his
A lot of Spurs fans do harbor resentment against the Dream for that series, but he has my respect. A true Spurs killer who went right at the MVP and embarrassed him. Dirk is another for his incredible '06 series. Kirby is the one player who doesn't deserve Spur killer status since he padded his stats in that '01 sweep against Danny Ferry, Steve Smith, and Terry Porter.
I like your style playa... if I may say so myself
Drexler retired early because he hated Barkley and Barkley cost us a shot at the Finals when his fatass refused to close out on Stockton.
Thinking Duncan relied mostly on his bank shot for most of his career is ignorant to the utmost degree
this tbh
1) Wilt
2) Jordan
3) Abdul-Jabbar
4) Duncan
5) LeBron
6) Magic
7) Bird
8) Olajuwon
9) Shaq
10) Russell
Neh, I just think Duncan should be ranked higher than Hakeem.
No ing way
Stop being a homer
I think people overrate Hakeem because of the way he abused everyone that post season.
It was a rather mediocre regular season for him, tbh.
I agree with this. Hakeem is definitely a top 10 player of all time and might slightly be ahead of Duncan (definitely a better player at his peak), but people act like 1994 Olajuwon was how Hakeem played his entire career.
Numbers say he was a consistently great player for over a decade.
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