Michael Jordan Worried Bulls Couldn't 'Contain' Hakeem Olajuwon

Rudy Tomjanovich: "[Jordan] didn’t feel that they could contain Hakeem. They just didn’t have the personnel to do it."

Michael Jordan never squared off against Hakeem Olajuwon with the Larry O'Brien trophy on the line, as Olajuwon and the Rockets reached the Finals in 1994 and 1995 between the Bulls' pair off three-peats. But despite the lack of impact matchups, Jordan reportedly held Houston's center in high esteem throughout their respective careers.

"[Jordan] gave our team great respect,” former Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich told The Athletic's Michael Lee on Monday. “He didn’t feel that they could contain Hakeem. They just didn’t have the personnel to do it. And he said he thought we were the team that gave them the most trouble.”

Just look at the footwork, timing and basketball knowledge of Hakeem Olajuwon. Cat-like reflexes...

Jordan comes for double team, Dream sees that in split second, then does a fade away.

This is why we wished to watch an oscar-worthy Bulls - Rockets finals matchups in entire 90s pic.twitter.com/rJiMNyXFie

— OLDSKOOLBBALL (@Oldskoolbball1) December 18, 2018

Olajuwon was selected No. 1 overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, two spots ahead of Jordan. And the pair of Hall-of-Famers became two of the players in basketball over the next 13 seasons. 

Olajuwon and Jordan combined for 26 All-Star appearances, 23 All-NBA honors and eight Finals MVPs in their careers. Jordan was the NBA's leading scorer from 1984-98, while Olajuwon finished third (behind Karl Malone). Olajuwon and Jordan's careers were in lock step with one another, though a titanic matchup never came to fruition.

Olajuwon sports a 13–10 edge in head-to-head matchups with Jordan. Houston's center averaged 21.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game against Jordan, while Jordan averaged 30.8 points per game on 46.8% from the field.

“It was a great rivalry. It was too bad that we didn’t get [to the Finals] when they got there,” Tomjanovich told Lee. “We would have to go and play. We could all talk about it and stuff, but we’ll never know. It would’ve been a great series.”

Tomjanovich guided the Rockets to the franchise's lone championships in 1994 and 1995, and he is the Rockets' all-time leader in coaching wins. The 71-year-old was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on April 3.