Kevin Durant’s sit-down with Hakeem Olajuwon for Boardroom serves as a masterclass on the evolution of basketball greatness through the eyes of two generational icons. As a legendary figure for the Houston Rockets, Olajuwon remains the gold standard for versatility, retiring with two NBA championships and the distinction of being the league's all-time leader in blocked shots. His journey from Nigeria to the Hall of Fame was unconventional, beginning not on the court but as a soccer goalkeeper until his senior year of high school. This early experience on the pitch instilled the timing and "rim protector" instincts that allowed a 6'9" teenager to eventually dominate the most physical era of the NBA.
The ferocity of Olajuwon’s professional game was forged during his early years in Houston, where he was mentored by the "Chairman of the Boards," Moses Malone. Malone gave the young player no breaks during grueling summer sessions, providing the physical pounding necessary to build Olajuwon’s unshakeable confidence before he ever played a college minute. While traditional coaches initially tried to keep him restricted to the low block, Olajuwon used summer pickup games to develop a face-up game and a mid-range touch that defied the typical role of a center at that time. It was only after Rudy Tomjanovich took over as head coach that Olajuwon was granted the freedom to play with the fluidity and unpredictability he had mastered in those unrestricted "Fondi" runs.
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Durant and Olajuwon both maintain that the mid-range shot is far from dead, viewing it as an "unpredictable" and "easy" weapon that feels like a layup once a player masters their spot. This technical mastery made Olajuwon a "nerve-wracking" presence for even the most elite scorers, a feeling Durant compares to facing modern roaming defensive threats like Victor Wembanyama. Olajuwon’s defensive dominance—averaging as many as 4.6 blocks in a single season—was less about rigid individual drills and more about a "hooper's" intuition developed through constant one-on-one play.
Now in his 19th season, Durant finds himself energized by the history surrounding the Houston franchise, noting that looking up at the retired jerseys in the arena inspires him to work harder even as a veteran. While the game has shifted toward a more spread-out, three-point-heavy style, Olajuwon remains a keen observer of the modern era, praising the high-skill games of Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid, the latter of whom he believes mirrors his own movements on the court. Ultimately, the dialogue reinforces that championship pedigree is defined by a relentless desire to compete and a lifelong obsession with the fundamentals of the craft.
