Hakeem Olajuwon Through the Years

Hakeem Olajuwon emigrated from Nigeria to play under Guy Lewis at the University of Houston despite never playing basketball until the age of 15. After red-shirting as a freshman, the seven-footer teamed with Clyde Drexler to lead the Cougars to three consecutive Final Fours, including appearances in the 1983 and 1984 title games. Olajuwon's Houston teams went by the semi-official nickname Phi Slama Jama, a tribute to their fast-breaking style and explosive slam dunks.