Having read a previous biography written by this author, I was eager to pick up an advance copy of this on Hakeem Olajuwon and it did not disappoint. Here is my review of “Dream.”
Title/Author:
“Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon” by Mirin Fader
Rating:
5 of 5 stars (excellent)
Review: In the 1984 NBA draft, Hakeem Olajuwaon was the first player selected, making him the first African native to be the first overall draft selection. How he became a legendary basketball player when his first sports love in his native Nigeria was team handball is a fascinating story, and author Mirin Fader tells about Hakeem’s life and basketball career in the excellent book.
As was the case with her book on another NBA superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Fader writes with equal amounts of information and intrigue on both Olajuwon's basketball career and his personal life. The latter includes not only his upbringing in Nigeria but also how his Islam faith is very important to him as well as treating others with respect and his demeanor off the court, which is very different than on it.
Fader’s work on Olajuwon’s basketball career is also excellent in its completeness and detail. She describes his inner test in basketball gaining traction and from encouragement from coaches, he starts playing in leagues in Nigeria. It is in these games where he started learning the basics and his exceptional athleticism gained in handball helped excel in this sport as well. He eventually lands a scholarship from the University of Houston where he was part of the exciting “Phi Slamma Jamma” teams. Then he stays in Houston with the Rockets and cements his place in the all-time greats by leading the Rockets to consecutive NBA championships in 1994 and 1995.
It should be noted that the research and interviews by Fader are key to the outstanding writing she does because of the insight the subjects gave. This goes all the way from his Nigerian coaches to current NBA players to who Hakeem has provided workouts and tips, something he has done since ending his career with Toronto Raptors in 2002. Another nice touch by Fader is her writing about stories that may or may not be true, such as how he eventually decided to attend the University of Houston and how the spelling of his first name was eventually corrected in the press from “Akeem” to “Hakeem”.
Whether the topic is basketball, African culture or Islam, the reader will learn much in this book on how important they were in the life of one of the greatest centers in the history of the game.
I wish to thank the publisher for providing a review copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
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