Feb.15 at 12:05 pm

Jukai says:
This just shows how hurting black southern africans are for sports heros. Every time a genuinely good one comes along, we erect bronze statues all over the continent. I’m surprised everyone doesn’t wear that mess of a haircut that Mutombo has half the time.

Feb.15 at 12:09 pm

nope says:
nigeria is not in southern africa.

Feb.15 at 12:10 pm

The Best Yet says:
haha. Ur such a nerd Jukai. Btw, I use to rock that mess of a haircut some years back.

Feb.15 at 12:13 pm

Darksaber says:
Fantastic, just fantastic. A nigerian icon getting a statue in America. Bravo AKEEM. Great day.

Feb.15 at 12:14 pm

Keith says:
Fully deserved.

Feb.15 at 12:16 pm

Slick Nick Da Ruler says:
Dream is the best center of all time

Feb.15 at 12:16 pm

maio says:
Dear children of Africa, grow tall, play ball.

Feb.15 at 12:18 pm

maio says:
The chances to be the next Hakeem are, however, quite small.

Feb.15 at 12:28 pm

Shawn Kemp Jr says:
why the hell all the sarcasam? Akeem deserved this sh*t

Feb.15 at 12:32 pm

Tarzan Cooper says:
just ask david robinson about his nightmare.

Feb.15 at 12:39 pm

Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
But the chances of being the next Yinka Dare are quite good.

Feb.15 at 12:56 pm

nick says:
Note: it wont be a statue of him. As a muslim, he’s not so down with idolatry. It’s apparently some amalgamation of his jerey/stats/skills.

Feb.15 at 12:57 pm

nick says:
Also Note: Hakeem is the best center of all time. Actually, scratch that, the best player of all time.

Feb.15 at 1:58 pm

Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Hakeem could actually be the best center of all-time, best player - not so much..

Feb.15 at 2:01 pm

nick says:
I’m slightly biased, being from houston, so yeah, you’re probably right. However,nHe was 5-1 against the Jordan bulls during the 1st 3-peat, and he was THE dominant center in an era of dominant centers. It’s certainly an argument that i’d have.

Feb.15 at 2:01 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Sam Cassell is jealous.

Feb.15 at 2:02 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
And Hakeem is underrated.

Feb.15 at 2:05 pm

Myles Brown says:
Best center ever.

Feb.15 at 2:08 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
They should just put up a statue of Master Shake wearing Hakeem’s jersey.

Feb.15 at 2:08 pm

Ill WIll says:
*dream shakes in the post*

Feb.15 at 2:13 pm

nick says:
Yes Russ. WAY underated. Please don’t get me started on this…

Feb.15 at 2:13 pm

speedy says:
Great Player .

Feb.15 at 2:13 pm

nick says:
The statue should be David Robinson in a fetal position, hugging himself.

Feb.15 at 3:11 pm

Jukai says:
Wow, I’m actually really surprised about the Hakeem love here. Usually I don’t agree with the general posters on SLAM. Hakeem probably wasn’t as good as Wilt or Jabbar, but Hakeem dominates Shaq and Robinson and Ewing and all their ilk. He’s easily in the top ten best players ever, this guy was as mint as they come.

Feb.15 at 4:21 pm

TheMC5 says:
Best center ever? Ummm, Wilt, anyone?

Feb.15 at 4:21 pm

TheMC5 says:
Hakeem was ridiculously good, but Wilt was other-worldly.

Feb.15 at 4:23 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Did you see him play?

Feb.15 at 4:31 pm

TheMC5 says:
Hakeem? Sure did. And he was phenomenal.

Feb.15 at 4:46 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
I meant Wilt. His numbers are other-worldly, but who here saw him play? Not just highlights, full games.

Feb.15 at 5:28 pm

TheMC5 says:
I’ve seen a few full games of Wilt’s, but not many. He did look like a god among men in the games I’ve seen, though. Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I’m of the opinion that Wilt was far and away the best player ever, relative to his competition.

Feb.15 at 7:59 pm

Kevin says:
repeating what someone said already, but definitely deserving

Feb.15 at 8:02 pm

DJ Leon Smith says:
Sonics are currently working on a Sene statue.

Feb.15 at 9:02 pm

tealish says:
TheMC5, I’m of the opinion that Wilt’s competition sucked ass. But we’d never know for sure. You really would have to consistently watch a player to understand whether he was truly the greatest ever, or if his ridiculous stats were just a product of overmatched competition. He 50ppg avg in a season suggests it’s the latter.

Feb.16 at 12:39 am

Pat Is Five says:
ha, great line on master shake russ

Feb.16 at 8:12 pm

Orlando says:
First, the dream definitly deserves this, he was an amazing centre. But to say he is the best center of all time is ridiculous, not to mention saying he was the best player of all time. Wilt put up crazy numbers and dominated but he was playing against weak competition. From what I have seen Kareem was better than Wilt. However, the best center of all time is Shaquille O’neal, in his prime he was un-guardable even with the double team. As fast as the dream with a lot more power. Yes, his super-prime lasted maybe 4 years but that 4 years was crazy.
Do you remember when they played Indiana in the Finals and they were not double-teaming him. Over!

Feb.16 at 8:29 pm

Rob Paxon says:
I certainly am no historian of the game and am less and less versed in each decade back in time. However, everything I know about basketball points to Wilt being a freak ahead of his time playing against watered-down competition that could not (physically + skilled combined) match him. He was great and he’d be great today but Hakeem probably would have put up similar points while being far superior defensively. Conjecture as it is, I believe it to be true. Going purely by the numbers in relation to eras, without mental transposing, it still points favorably to Hakeem imo. That said you can argue either way but I take Hakeem over Wilt. I take Russell over Wilt too because of their head to head battles + his overall team success.

Feb.17 at 2:14 pm

KJ says:
I am from Houston and grew up during the early 90’s heyday of the Rockets, and I would still only give Dream 3rd best center of all-time honors. The discussion begins and ends with Bill Russell. Russell was the greatest center ever, followed by the Dipper, and then you can debate either way with Kareem or Dream…Kareem had the points, but Hakeem was a beast on both ends. I have never seen a player, other than Jordan, just abuse a one on one match-up the way he did David Robinson in the 95 play-off’s. Robinson was never the same as a player afterwards.

Feb.20 at 9:29 am

deez-nutz says:
well it about time he deserves one more than bagwell and biggio

Feb.20 at 9:30 am

deez-nutz says:
bill russell said he was the best ever because he would do every thing EVERY night!