NBA Draft: Every team’s best pick ever

Jun 10, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) speaks to the media during a press conference after game four of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. The Warriors won 108-97. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

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EAST RUTHERFORD, UNITED STATES: The New Jersey Nets’ Jayson Williams (L), Houston Rockets’ Hakeem Olajuwon (C), Nets’ Chris Gatling (2nd R) and the Rockets’ Michael Dickerson battle for a loose ball under the basket in the first quarter 18 February at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. AFP PHOTO/Matt CAMPBELL (Photo credit should read MATT CAMPBELL/AFP/Getty Images) /

Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon, No. 1, 1984 NBA Draft

Hakeem Olajuwon was taken first overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, ahead of Saw Bowie and a guard from North Carolina named Michael Jordan. The center from Nigeria had declared for the draft after a very successful college career at the University of Houston with Clyde Drexler, as part of the “Phi Slama Jama” team. With the Rockets, the 7-foot tall center joined with 7-foot-4-inch forward Ralph Sampson to form a “Twin Towers” lineup, and made the NBA Finals in his second season, only to lose to one of the greatest teams in NBA history — the 1986 Boston Celtics.

The Dream had dominant seasons afterwards, and after Michael Jordan retired in 1993, the Rockets advanced through the playoffs and won the 1994 championship. The Rockets returned to the Finals the next year and defeated the Orlando Magic in four games as Olajuwon dominated a young Shaquille O’Neal. While he gets attention for his devastating post moves (ones that he still teaches to NBA players in the offseason), his defense was just as tremendous. Olajuwon would make the All-Star game 12 times in his career, was named league MVP in 1994, and retired at age 39 as one of the greatest centers to ever play the game.

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