Nigerian basketball legend, Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon is raining accolades and praise on Cameroonian-born rave of the moment, Joel Embiid, who he believes plays the way he did, Sports247 reports.
While Olajuwon admitted Embiid reflects the power of modern-day players, he insists his own days in USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA) had games that were more entertaining.
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Olajuwon aired his views while speaking in the latest episode of ‘Boardroom Talks,’ during which he viewed two generations of basketball greatness and reflected on evolution of the giants’ game.
Another NBA legend, Kevin Durant, who is known for his smooth scoring and lethal versatility, wanted Olajuwon’s perspective on modern basketball, thereby setting the stage for a conversation bridging decades.
Olajuwon, a Hall of Fame centre, who dominated the ’90s with unparalleled footwork and defensive prowess, acknowledged the shift in approach during his days with that of modern time.
“Today’s game, a lot of shooters. I mean, I’ve seen guys pass it up and lay up and kick it for 3,” Olajuwon declared.
When Durant asked about Joel Hans Embiid, a player who modeled his game similarly to Olajuwon, the Nigerian icon summed it up simply: “I mean, he got everything.”
Embiid, who was born on March 16th, 1994, plays for Philadelphia 76ers, where he was drafted third overall in 2014, after one year of college basketball with Kansas Jayhawks.
Multiple foot and knee injuries delayed his debut for two seasons until 2016/17 when he was listed in the NBA All-Rookie First Team despite playing only 31 games and nicknamed himself ‘The Process.’
The 7-foot Cameroonian-born USA international is a seven-time NBA All-Star, a five-time member of the All-NBA Team, three-time member of the All-Defensive Team, and a two-time NBA scoring champion.
Embiid, who won an Olympic Games gold medal with Team USA at Paris 2024, was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2023, having led the league in scoring during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons.
