MVP Olajuwon makes quiet entrance here
MVP Olajuwon makes quiet entrance here
JAKARTA (JP): It's too bad that Hakeem Olajuwon wasn't here
last week.
His mere presence might have put some life into the
Independence Cup basketball tournament.
Who knows, with him on their side the national junior team
might have walked away with the trophy.
After all this is the NBA Most Valuable player we're talking
about.
The triumphant Houston Rockets giant, currently here to film a
commercial, is the first NBA player to set foot in Indonesia. The
real star, however, remained down to earth as he shared
experiences, including his dedication to Islam, with local
journalists.
The Moslem faith, much misunderstood by most Westerners, was
the topic that the journalists were most eager to explore during
the two-hour informal chat. Olajuwon literally opened his big
arms wide to such sensitive questions.
"We cannot separate religion from our daily lives. The two are
interconnected," the soft-spoken Olajuwon replied in his British
accent.
In the event, Olajuwon had performed a prayer within an hour
of arriving at the hotel.
The highlight of the wide-ranging discussion was when he
briefed a journalist, who claimed to be a Moslem, on the five
pillars of Islam. The Nigerian-born Olajuwon has increasingly
devoted himself to religion over the past few years, and
attributes much of his success to the "base" provided by his
faith.
But don't try asking him about money. "I won't disclose it,"
he replied when asked to reveal the size of his paycheck.
Slouching in his seat, he also refused to comment on whether he
got a raise after leading the Rockets to the NBA championship.
"Money is just a reward. The most important thing is doing my
best," he said.
"What a man. He doesn't seem like such a big star," a female
sportswriter, who professed to knowing little about basketball,
whispered about the man they call "the Dream."
Olajuwon's arrival at Soekarno-Hatta airport yesterday was a
quiet one, especially considering that the 6-10 (2.08 meter)
giant is the idol of millions of basketball fans around the
world. He did receive garlands, but his welcoming party consisted
mostly of photographers and journalists.
Globetrotter
As the first selection in the 1984 NBA Draft, Olajuwon
transformed the Rockets' worst-ever team (14-68 in 1982-83) into
NBA finalists in just his second season.
Known for his solid defense, relentless rebounding and cat-
like quickness, Olajuwon has ranked consistently among the
league's leading scorers. He averaged 25.2 points per game last
season.
Olajuwon was granted U.S. citizenship last April, 14 years
after he left home to embark on his basketball odyssey.
Olajuwon's visit here comes at the end of his five-week round-
the-world tour as the NBA's first-ever international ambassador.
He spent three days in Malaysia before arriving here.
This country looked like a new one for the globe-trotting
Olajuwon. He said he knew Indonesia as the biggest Moslem country
in the world, but deflected journalists' persistent attempts to
get him to elaborate.
He expressed surprise upon learning that the archipelago is
home to 300 different ethnic groups. He also said he could not
wait for his holiday in Bali to begin, asking "what's it like out
there anyway?"
Olajuwon will leave for a short stay on the paradise island
early next week.
He is scheduled to present his number 34 jersey to Minister of
Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman on Monday. (amd/brd)