Dwight Howard and 10 Starting Centers Who Could Use Lessons from Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon—a name that evokes memories of Dream Shakes and devastating defense—had the entire package as a center. Olajuwon was quick enough to work in his finesse post moves around the basket and strong enough to tear away rebounds and swat away shots into the stands.
Being taken ahead of Michael Jordan in the 1984 draft, not many challenged the decision at the time. Even in hindsight, the choice is not necessarily specious. Olajuwon is the only player in NBA history to be named NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and NBA Finals MVP—all in one season. Certainly not a feat easily replicated.
Olajuwon dominated the low post with a dizzying array of spins, fakes, and shakes. He combined his size and length with the finesse and agility of a skilled guard. His deft ball handling coupled with his nimble footwork left countless defenders scratching their heads mid-air as he baited opponents into empty space.
On the other end of the court, Hakeem was one of the best at timing his jump to block shots. With a career total of 3,830 blocks to his name, he is the all-time leader in that category. Hakeem is the only player with over 1,000 games played to average over three blocks per game over the course of their career.
He's also one of the rare centers able to give you 100+ steals a season. Not an easy accomplishment for any center to achieve, let alone a guard or forward.
Let's be honest—every single center currently playing in the NBA could learn some lessons from Hakeem. However, only about a portion of that group can actually take those lessons and raise their already strong game to another plateau.
Dwight Howard
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Patrick Ewing has mentored Dwight for a large part of his career. The problem is that certain parts of Ewing's game were never meant for Dwight to emulate, namely his jump shot. Ewing was not your classic low post center. He had a soft touch and was able to hit those mid-range jumpers—something Dwight will struggle to develop.
Where Patrick was unable to elevate Howard's game Hakeem could fill in the blanks.
Dwight is one of the privileged few to have the opportunity to actually work out with the legendary Rockets' center. After speaking with "The Dream" during Orlando's post season run, Hakeem extended an offer to take Dwight under his wing.
Not only is Hakeem a great teacher for any big man, but he's also the best fit for Howard.
One of the main issues with Howard's post game is that he has trouble chaining together a series of moves into one fluid offensive set. He has the most success when his movements are limited to one step drops and dunks. Going from a spin to a pump fake to an up and under would be an absolute disaster for Howard on almost any given night.
Olajuwon was able to pull off sets like that in his sleep. Under his tutelage, Howard has the potential to add such moves to his arsenal.
Already on the cusp of breaking the three blocks per game barrier, the reigning two time Defensive Player of the Year is certainly capable of going toe-to-toe with Hakeem on defense. While his natural instincts aren't fully on par, they are quite close.
Dwight is a rare specimen with the tools to match one of Hakeem's greatest feats—NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in a single season.
Roy Hibbert
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Roy is on the verge of breaking out this upcoming season. Currently being tutored by Bill Walton, Roy's defensive game should be a true difference maker for the Pacers this upcoming season.
While Hibbert has a decent low post game, he's not nearly as strong a force on the offensive end as he is capable of being. He isn't exactly the most fluid or explosive player, but he gets the job done. Even with an already strong hook shot and a rather impressive array of post moves, he still has a lot of work to do. Roy has the footwork and agility to learn some of Hakeem's moves and might actually be able to replicate them with enough practice.
Hibbert has shown a propensity for blocking shots and solid all-around defense. In just 25 minutes of play last year, he managed to average 1.6 blocks per game—a rather impressive achievement given the inconsistent minutes.
Rebounding wise, Hibbert leaves a lot to be desired. For his size, his rebounding numbers aren't anything impressive. This is an area where you'll definitely be looking for Hibbert to improve dramatically.
While he is pretty terrible when it comes to stealing the ball, he can learn to better position himself and use his hands to force turnovers with Hakeem teaching him.
Chris Kaman
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Caveman—never was there a nickname more befitting a player.
On top of actually looking like a caveman, Kaman's play style is very reminiscent of one too. There is no finesse to his style. While he may be able to get you close to 20 points and 10 rebounds, it's going to be ugly.
When Chris catches the rock in the low post, he won't be pulling off any flashy moves. There are no spins and wild pump fakes to throw defenders off. He does have a respectable jump hook and can stretch the floor with a mediocre jump shot. Surprisingly, Kaman even has solid footwork for someone who looks so uncoordinated.
If Hakeem was teaching him some of the various moves in his arsenal to Chris, it would undoubtedly ensure Kaman a perennial spot as an All-Star. Kaman may look funny doing the Dream Shake, but it opens up his already rather versatile game.
Kaman is already known to be a solid defender. While he won't be winning any Defensive Player of the Year awards, he can still turn away shots at the rim. He plays tough-nosed man-to-man defense and anchors the team in the post. Learning from one of the best shot blockers would make him a true force to be reckoned with in the paint.
Andrea Bargnani
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With Bosh leaving the Raptors high and dry, Bargnani will be asked to shoulder the load.
Andrea has the tools to be an elite talent; it's just a matter of putting it all together. While his game resembles Dirk Nowitzki more than anyone else, there's plenty he can learn from Hakeem.
Bargnani is a natural shooter who can light it up from long range. However, his post game is seriously lacking in any real depth. With the mobility and ball handling skills already in place necessary to mimic Hakeem, the Italian only needs to add some of Olajuwon's post moves to his arsenal to really elevate his offensive game.
Defensively, Bargnani has a lot of areas that he needs to improve upon. He's an incredibly poor rebounder given his size and position. That deficiency is mostly attributed to his soft demeanor—you won't often see him battling for positioning down low.
While he has shown that he can be a solid shot blocker, that's mostly attributed to his height and length. You won't see players think twice about driving the lane on him. In fact, they're more likely to attack him head on knowing his rather tepid reputation.
Al Jefferson
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Joining Deron Williams on the Utah Jazz this past summer, Al is finally paired with an elite level talent capable of uplifting his game. Wallowing in Minnesota for the past three years, this promising young center has finally been freed from the death grip of Kahn and the Timberwolves.
On offense, Jefferson is a highly skilled post player able to generate his own looks around the basket. His footwork is on par with the best big men in the game. However, he relies on raw athleticism and power instead of finesse.
Defensively, Jefferson is a serious underachiever. With a rather disappointing career average of 1.3 blocks per game, he is capable of far more than that. The problem is his natural affinity for offense. He will at times completely eschew defense in order to save his energy for the other end of the court.
With Jerry Sloan coaching the team, his terrible defense will be tolerated no more. Even better would be Hakeem showing him the true intricacies of man-to-man and team defense—two areas that Jefferson could really use some mentoring in.
Andrew Bogut
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This former No. 1 overall draft pick finally had a breakout season last year. Alongside rookie Brandon Jennings, he helped lead the Bucks on a strong regular season run. Pity it ended on a rather nasty injury.
After a long offseason rehabbing his injured arm, there will be questions surrounding his effectiveness after a brutal injury. Aside from strong play, learning under Hakeem would help to quell any doubts over his return and possibly lead to improvement on his already strong year from last season.
Bogut is fundamentally sound in the low post. He has surprisingly strong footwork and is able to move around pretty well. Unlike some of the other players on this list, he is not very athletic. He relies on the basics to get the job done on offense.
That's where Hakeem comes in.
With enough work, Bogut can learn to improve upon his athletic disadvantage and work in a collection of varying post moves to punish players on the low block. Having Olajuwon's arsenal at his disposal will do wonders for his game and could potentially push him over the 20 points per game mark.
Andrew has developed into a strong defender. Lacking the athleticism to keep up with some players, he can use his size to bully those going up against him. His shot blocking took a considerable leap last season, and he has shown that he can get even better in that department.
Marc Gasol
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Marc came into the league with a chip on his shoulder. Being traded by the Lakers to the Grizzlies for his brother Pau, there were plenty of naysayers doubting his potential as a player.
Two years later, Marc has proven all his doubters wrong and is blossoming into one of the bright younger centers in the game.
While his brother Pau is a finesse player, Marc plays a different game. Coming in at 7'1", 265 pounds, Marc has a body made to bang down low in the post.
As his athleticism is rather mediocre, it limits his post game. He currently does not have strong enough footwork to pull off the spins and counter moves necessary to emulate Hakeem. However, with enough work, that could possibly change.
Rebounding is clearly Marc's strong suit on defense.
His shot blocking, however, leaves a lot to be desired. In 35 minutes of play, Gasol averaged only 1.6 blocks per contest. Rather pedestrian numbers considering his usage and size. While his athleticism limits him, learning to time his blocks like Hakeem could lift his averages to well over two blocks per game.
Joakim Noah
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Joining Chris Kaman on an ugly centers list is Joakim Noah.
Whether or not you agree or disagree with him being included in a deal for 'Melo, he does show a lot of promise. Even still, Noah's game is still very raw on the offensive end.
While he has a solid hook shot and mediocre assortment of low post options, he is limited by his rather awkward looking post game. If he works on his footwork and can manage to work in some spin moves and fakes into his game, he can learn to be a true All-Star.
As his game is modeled now, he won't be doing much more than drop steps and one dribble moves. Under Hakeem he can expand his game and became a face to the basket scorer. This will not only open up his game, but help spread the floor and give the Bulls another low post option along with Carlos Boozer.
Noah has shown flashes of his stealing abilities. He has the natural instincts to force turnovers but doesn't always follow through on his steals.
Joakim also shows a natural ability to block shots. While he isn't the most imposing figure, he has fairly good timing and length. This is an area that Hakeem could elevate to another plateau.
JaVale McGee
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This incredibly raw center from the Washington Wizards still has a lot to learn in the NBA.
Invited to try out for the U.S. Men's National Team this past summer, McGee was unable to make the cut. His overall skills were just not yet polished enough to play with some of the league's best young players. However, JaVale has a very high ceiling and should soon begin to thrive playing alongside John Wall.
Offensively, McGee has shown some nice flashes. His length and leaping ability make for a lethal combination around the basket. He throws down vicious dunks and alley-oops.
Still, he has to improve on his footwork and post moves. Like most players on this list he doesn't have the ability to chain together a succession of deliberate moves to score. He's more of a catch and shoot player who can clean up offensive boards and be on the receiving end of easy setups in the paint.
Already a strong shot blocker, he still has a ways to go before he develops into a true enforcer in the paint. His length and athleticism give him a considerable advantage over most players and will make him a nightmare once developed.
Hakeem could be the man to take McGee's unrefined abilities and turn him into a center to be feared.
Kendrick Perkins
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This big bruiser has played a vital role on the Celtics since being drafted.
Not known for his offense, this bulky big man is no slouch when it comes to scoring. He has a power game through and through. There is no finesse when it comes to scoring for him. He lacks the fluid movement and athleticism necessary for that type of game.
Still, he is not a lost cause.
With enough work and strong mentoring from Hakeem, Kendrick can take those lessons and apply them to his own style of play. Even simple ball fakes and counter moves are enough to diversify his offensive skill set.
Doing all the dirty work, Perkins clogs the lanes and covers the opposing team's best big man. With a plethora of offensive options available in Boston, Perkins is relied on mostly for his defense.
Kendrick is a tenacious rebounder and shot blocker. With less than 30 minutes a game, Perkins still manages to average nearly two blocks. Given starters' minutes and an expanded role, he could easily close in on 2.5 blocks per game along with double digit rebounds.
