Toronto Raptors Remember Where NBA Great Hakeem Olajuwon Finished His Career

Zachary Draves | Aug 7, 2024

Feb 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Hakeem Olajuwon in attendance before the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It sounds crazy, but it's true Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon finished his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors during the 2001-2002 season.

The Raptors let it be known on their Twitter page so it wouldn't be forgotten.

Olajuwon is best known for playing 17 seasons (1984-2001) with the Houston Rockets. He became a 12-time NBA All-Star, the 1994 NBA MVP, and led the Rockets to back to back titles (1994-1995).

Y'all forgot about Hakeem in a Raps jersey? Because we never do. pic.twitter.com/ds3c7HV7ZX

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) August 7, 2024

From 1996-1999, Houston was eliminated in the playoffs three times by the Utah Jazz and once by the Los Angeles Lakers. In 1998, teammate Clyde Drexler retired. Scottie Pippen was traded to the Portland Trailblazers after the 1999 season.

The Rockets began a period of rebuilding around Steve Francis, the 2000 Rookie of the Year.

In August 2001, Olajuwon was traded to the Raptors after he refused a $13 million deal. In return, the Rockets acquired Slovenia's Boštjan Nachbar as the 15th pick in 2002.

In his first game with Toronto against the Orlando Magic, Olajuwon scored 11 points in just 22 minutes. He averaged career-lows of seven points and six rebounds.

After battling a back injury, he retired in the fall of 2002.

Olajuwon finished his career averaging 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 3.1 blocks. He will forever be associated with the Rockets, but he does have a special place north of the border.

Zachary Draves is a contributor to Back In the Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at zdraves1013@gmail.com and on Instagram @zdraves0633.

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