"GOAT footwork": NBA fans in awe of Hakeem Olajuwon's after 'The Dream' puts on a show at gym
At 61, Hakeem Olajuwon is still impressing fans with his footwork. In a clip shared by John Lucas III, “The Dream” is seen training two young athletes on their footwork while wearing jeans and a polo shirt.
Hakeem Olajuwon is celebrated for his fluid footwork as a big man, most famously for the Dream Shake, a series of moves he uses to deceive defenders and get his shots off.
In the video shared by Lucas on X (formerly Twitter), Olajuwon trains young forwards Sebastian Williams-Adams and Shelton Henderson, leaving fans amazed at his fluid footwork even at 61.
“GOAT footwork,” commented user @purplefranchise.
One user was particularly impressed by Olajuwon's smooth movements despite his age and casual attire.
“To be moving that smoothly at his age, in jeans and a polo on top of that, is simply remarkable,” said @TheKazman_24.
User @WannaBeReece highlighted how fortunate Williams-Adams and Henderson were to be trained by Olajuwon, saying:
“Getting trained by the dream, W.”
Here are additional reactions from fans to Olajuwon’s training video:
With his footwork and trademark Dream Shake, Hakeem Olajuwon transformed how big men played offense in the NBA.
The Dream Shake is a combination of fakes and spin moves perfected by Olajuwon, allowing him to score effectively from various positions on the court by using a series of shoulder fakes, pump fakes and pivoting, making it hard for defenders to predict his next move.
Looking at Hakeem Olajuwon’s Hall of Fame career
Olajuwon was selected by the Houston Rockets as the first overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft, forming a dominant duo with Ralph Sampson, dubbed the "Twin Towers."
The Rockets made it to the 1986 NBA Finals but lost to the Boston Celtics. After Sampson was traded, Olajuwon became the team's undisputed leader, leading the league in rebounding twice and blocks three times during his career.
In the 1993-94 season, he became the first player to win the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP awards all in the same season.
Olajuwon had a significant impact on Houston basketball, leading the team to two championships and earning Finals MVP honors both times.
His jersey number 34 was retired by the Rockets in 2002, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016.
Olajuwon holds the NBA record for blocked shots with 3,830 and is the only player to record over 3,000 blocked shots and 2,000 steals in his career.