Olajuwon lives a dream on U.S. Olympic team

Olajuwon lives a dream on U.S. Olympic team

ATLANTA, Georgia (AFP): Nigerian-born Hakeem Olajuwon has already achieved a dream by becoming a member of the United States Olympic basketball squad for the Atlanta Games.

Now the center nicknamed "Dream," who led Houston to two National Basketball Association crowns, tries to complete his championship collection by bringing home a gold medal as part of "Dream Team III."

"It's a great honor," Olajuwon said. "It's like a dream come true, something very special. It's like the crown jewel in an athlete's career. And if you look at the talent in this league, just to make the team is a tremendous achievement."

It is even more for Olajuwon, who needed special permission from world governing body FIBA before he could be considered for the U.S. Olympic squad, even after becoming a U.S. citizen in 1993.

Olajuwon, the son of a retired Lagos cement business owner, played for Nigeria at age 17 in the All-Africa Games. Under FIBA rules, he would be ineligible to play as an American.

But FIBA officials said his case was an unusual circumstance and ruled he could represent the United States. As a result, Olajuwon will wear the U.S. red, white and blue in his team's July 20 opener against Argentina, exactly one year after FIBA's ruling.

"I am wearing the USA uniform, representing the United States in the Olympics," Olajuwon said. "You cannot ask for anything more."

Olajuwon's name translates to "always being on top" and he lived up to it the past two NBA seasons, developing a shooting touch that made him the game's most dominant player in the absence of Michael Jordan.

Olajuwon averaged 26.9 points, second to Jordan among league scorers, pulled down 10.9 rebounds and blocked 2.88 shots a game this past season. But the Houston Rockets were ousted in the second round of the playoffs.

Olajuwon has averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in each of his 12 NBA seasons. Two years ago, he was the regular- season and finals Most Valuable Player as well as NBA Defensive MVP in guiding the Rockets to the title.

In 1995, he lifted the Rockets from a sixth-place regular season finish to win their second consecutive crown. Olajuwon averaged 33 points a game.

Olajuwon came to the United States in 1980 and enrolled at the University of Houston. He led the team into the championship finals three consecutive times.

New career

Olajuwon, known as Akeem until adding the "H" in 1991, began by playing handball and football until a basketball coach saw the tall lad and switched him to basketball.

Now he will play alongside David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal, two rivals who have a great respect for Olajuwon after battling against him over the years.

"I know I will probably come off the bench with David and Hakeem," O'Neal said. "Those guys are great players."

Robinson, who will be the first U.S. man to play basketball in three Olympic Games, wants all three big men on the court at the same time at some point, and coach Lenny Wilkens plans to make that dream come true too.

"It's going to be unbelievable," Robinson said. "All three of us on the floor at the same time would be a pretty scary prospect for the other team."

Olajuwon repaid the complements, citing the pressures of U.S. scrimmages.

"The competition will be in practice," Olajuwon said. "You know you're playing against the best opponent in practice, so whoever you play against during the game, you know you played against better in practice."