Robert Horry on overrated players being put over Hakeem: "Players who could never have played when we played are thought of as great"
Robert Horry has been critical about how old-school NBA superstars are being viewed today. According to "Big Shot Bob," this goes especially for his former Houston Rockets teammate, Hakeem Olajuwon, who is often omitted from the all-time great conversations.
"He gets a lot of credit from players, but because he was a quiet guy, and the access to him was so low, he never had the shoe commercials that would have pushed him out into the public," Horry told The National of Olajuwon in 2013. "Now there is so much social media and stuff that even players who could never have played when we played are thought of as great."
Hakeem had no holes in his game
Even without Horry gushing about it, Olajuwon's resume undeniably speaks for itself. "The Dream" is an NBA regular season MVP, two-time Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, rebounding champion, three-time blocks champion and the league's all-time leader in blocked shots.
To say that the legendary big man was a force on the court is an understatement. According to Horry, Hakeem's all-around skillset undoubtedly makes him one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen.
"I rate Dream as one of the top five players ever to play the game of basketball. He could do anything; there is nothing on the court he couldn't do," Horry concluded.
Even the GOAT feared Olajuwon
Horry didn't go as far as to say that Olajuwon is the best ever to do it. However, the seven-time NBA champion confidently said that even Michael Jordan was scared of "The Big African."
Despite MJ dominating the better part of the 90s, "Big Shot Bob" said the Chicago Bulls legend didn't want a piece of Hakeem back then.
"If you ask Michael Jordan who was the one guy he feared it was Hakeem Olajuwon. He used to say that he was scared of the big African because he is from Nigeria," Horry said.
Judging by how Olajuwon's career panned out, it's hard to refute Horry's statement. And though some don't see Hakeem up there in the Top 5, it's safe to say that prime "Dream" was still better than many players in today's NBA.
