"Wolf in sheep's clothing" - 2024 HOFer Michael Cooper makes eye-opening remark about Hakeem Olajuwon's deceiving demeanor
Former LA Lakers star Michael Cooper talked about Hakeem Olajuwon's personality. The Houston Rockets legend acted differently when he was on the court than when he wasn't competing. Cooper played against Olajuwon in the 1986 Western Conference finals and saw it firsthand.
Sportswriter and author Mirin Fader shared an excerpt from her book "Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon," where Cooper recalled what it was like to face the Olajuwon-led Rockets for a spot in the NBA finals. Talking about Houston's 114-112 victory that day, he revealed that he thought the Lakers would win.
"I hate talking about it because we were supposed to kick their ass that game," Cooper said. "Hakeem was on a mission. He literally put that team on his shoulders."
Moreover, he explained the differences between the player on the court and the man he talked to after the final buzzer.
"He is truly that wolf in sheep's clothing. Hakeem comes off as nonthreatening, but, s**t, 'I'm going to kick your a** ad I'm going to do everything I gotta do.'"
"You think somebody that big and intimidating would have fierceness about them, but he is so timid and so likable and so courteous. It was a pleasure playing against him. I hated him. But I also had to love him."
This is not the first time people have made these remarks about Hakeem Olajuwon, especially those who played with or against him. His competitiveness was off the charts, but he knew when to turn it on and off. Although the he and Rockets lost that year, Olajuwon won back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 in the middle of the Chicago Bulls' two three-peats.
Sam Cassell recalled how Hakeem Olajuwon could elevate his game after 'struggling' in preseason
Before Michael Cooper's comments about his personality, Olajuwon's former teammate Sam Cassell recalled when he first joined the Rockets and couldn't believe they were 0-8 in the preseason. He asked Olajuwon about the team's performance and Olajuwon said those games didn't matter.
Once the regular season started, according to Cassell, Olajuwon had 38 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks, seven assists, and three steals against the Golden State Warriors. There are many stories about Olajuwon's talent in basketball, but people tend to focus on his demeanor and how kind he is.