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Player profile · HOU / TOR
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon stats, teams and career impact
#31 all-timeCareer averages · 21.8 PPG · 11.1 RPG · 2.5 APGPeak-weighted regular-season model · playoffs, awards, and championships excluded
- Position
- Center
- Final NBA team
- Toronto Raptors
- Height / weight
- 7 ft 0 in (213 cm) · 255 lb (116 kg)
- Born
- January 21, 1963 (63 yrs old)
- College
- Houston
- NBA seasons
- 18 seasons · 1984–85 to 2001–02
Career summaryHakeem Olajuwon was a center who played 18 NBA seasons, from 1984–85 through 2001–02.
- Career PPG
- 21.8
- Career RPG
- 11.1
- Career APG
- 2.5
- #2 in 1992–93
- #31 all-time
Best-Season Impact Rank
Career Impact Rank
Peak-weighted regular-season model · playoffs, awards, and championships excluded
Career overview
Why Hakeem Olajuwon ranks #31 all time
Hakeem Olajuwon ranks #31 all time. 5 top-five finishes and 11 top-ten finishes give him a strong blend of peak and staying power. His full-career value ranks #18, so longevity is a major reason he lands this high.
11 top-ten finishes
1,238 games · Career Value Rank #18
NBA honors12× All-Star · MVP · 12× All-NBA · 9× All-Defense · 2× DPOYContext only; honors are not model inputs.
Head to head
Compare Hakeem Olajuwon with…
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- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Shaquille O'Neal Featured comparison
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- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. David Robinson All-time centers
- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Moses Malone All-time centers
- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Tim Duncan Similar career path
- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Karl Malone Similar career path
- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Charles Barkley Similar career path
- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Scottie Pippen Similar career path
- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Dirk Nowitzki Similar career path
- Hakeem Olajuwon vs. John Stockton Same-era comparison
Full player detailsTeam history, career shooting and sources
Full team history
- Teams
- Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors
Career shooting
NBA regular season- Field goal
- 51.2%FG%
- Three-point
- 20.2%3P%
- Free throw
- 71.2%FT%
1,238 career games · 44,222 minutes
Sources and updateConventional stats and measurements: Basketball Reference, accessed Sep 13, 2026. hussEyquation ranking data through 2025–26. Life dates: Wikidata; conflicting dates checked against Basketball Reference, accessed Sep 17, 2026.
Traditional box score
Hakeem Olajuwon stats by season
Start with scoring and impact, then switch views for shooting or the full advanced picture. Career percentages use total makes and attempts.
Box impact is an estimate in points per 100 possessions, not the 0–100 Impact Rate score. Zero is league average; higher is better. Rate rank is a league place: No. 1 is best.
Swipe for PPG · RPG · APG · Box impact · Team · G · GS · MPG →
| pts/100 · higher is better | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 7.1 | 6.0 | 1.1 | +0.92 | TOR | 61 | 37 | 22.6 | 46.4% | 0.0% | 56.0% | #79 | 74.5 |
| 2000–01 | 11.9 | 7.4 | 1.2 | +2.17 | HOU | 58 | 55 | 26.6 | 49.8% | 0.0% | 62.1% | #46 | 121.5 |
| 1999–00 | 10.3 | 6.2 | 1.4 | +0.33 | HOU | 44 | 28 | 23.8 | 45.8% | 0.0% | 61.6% | #116 | 48.0 |
| 1998–99 | 18.9 | 9.6 | 1.8 | +3.32 | HOU | 50 | 50 | 35.7 | 51.4% | 30.8% | 71.7% | #28 | 175.5 |
| 1997–98 | 16.4 | 9.8 | 3.0 | +3.05 | HOU | 47 | 45 | 34.7 | 48.3% | 0.0% | 75.5% | #34 | 156.4 |
| 1996–97 | 23.2 | 9.2 | 3.0 | +3.40 | HOU | 78 | 78 | 36.6 | 51.0% | 31.3% | 78.7% | #27 | 293.8 |
| 1995–96 | 26.9 | 10.9 | 3.6 | +5.85 | HOU | 72 | 72 | 38.8 | 51.4% | 21.4% | 72.4% | #9 | 426.1 |
| 1994–95 | 27.8 | 10.8 | 3.5 | +5.99 | HOU | 72 | 72 | 39.6 | 51.7% | 18.8% | 75.6% | #5 | 447.4 |
| 1993–94 | 27.3 | 11.9 | 3.6 | +6.60 | HOU | 80 | 80 | 41.0 | 52.8% | 42.1% | 71.6% | #4 | 557.9 |
| 1992–93 | 26.1 | 13.0 | 3.5 | +7.92 | HOU | 82 | 82 | 39.5 | 52.9% | 0.0% | 77.9% | #2 | 632.7 |
| 1991–92 | 21.6 | 12.1 | 2.2 | +5.63 | HOU | 70 | 69 | 37.7 | 50.2% | 0.0% | 76.6% | #9 | 398.5 |
| 1990–91 | 21.2 | 13.8 | 2.3 | +6.09 | HOU | 56 | 50 | 36.8 | 50.8% | 0.0% | 76.9% | #9 | 342.3 |
| 1989–90 | 24.3 | 14.0 | 2.9 | +6.32 | HOU | 82 | 82 | 38.1 | 50.1% | 16.7% | 71.3% | #6 | 547.9 |
| 1988–89 | 24.8 | 13.5 | 1.8 | +5.69 | HOU | 82 | 82 | 36.9 | 50.8% | 0.0% | 69.6% | #7 | 493.3 |
| 1987–88 | 22.8 | 12.1 | 2.1 | +4.86 | HOU | 79 | 79 | 35.8 | 51.4% | 0.0% | 69.5% | #8 | 411.1 |
| 1986–87 | 23.4 | 11.4 | 2.9 | +6.50 | HOU | 75 | 75 | 36.8 | 50.8% | 20.0% | 70.2% | #5 | 488.5 |
| 1985–86 | 23.5 | 11.5 | 2.0 | +5.21 | HOU | 68 | 68 | 36.3 | 52.6% | — | 64.5% | #5 | 383.5 |
| 1984–85 | 20.6 | 11.9 | 1.4 | +2.32 | HOU | 82 | 82 | 35.5 | 53.8% | — | 61.3% | #26 | 268.2 |
| Career | 21.8 | 11.1 | 2.5 | — | HOU/TOR | 1238 | — | 35.7 | 51.2% | 20.2% | 71.2% | — | — |
Source: Basketball Reference regular-season totals, accessed Sep 13, 2026.
Film evidence
Hakeem Olajuwon highlights
Watch the selected footage or film analysis, then use the season record and impact data to put what happened on the floor in context.
Signature-skill retrospective
Hakeem Olajuwon's ultimate Dream Shake mix
The NBA's mix isolates the footwork, counters and balance that made Olajuwon a rare self-creating scorer as well as an elite defender.
What these measures mean
- Box impact
- Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average, from the historical box-score model. Zero is league average; higher is better. Historical defense estimates are included where labeled. This is not the live model's lineup-adjusted estimate.
- Impact Rate
- A 0–100 score comparing performance within one season. Higher is better. This is a score, not points per possession.
- Impact estimate
- The season model's final estimated points per 100 possessions above league average, before conversion to the 0–100 Impact Rate score. It includes lineup evidence where available. Zero is league average; higher is better.
- Impact Rate rank
- The player's place among qualified players in that season's Impact Rate ranking. No. 1 is best. This is a rank, not an impact score.
- Value contribution / Season Value
- Completed seasons use a fixed-baseline contribution to Career Value. The live season instead uses Season Value, combining that season's impact with workload.
- Career Impact Rank
- An all-time rank weighted toward the player's best three, five, and ten seasons.
4.3 composite · lower is better
4.2 average league finish
6,267 total value
- Impact Rate
- 0–100 score within one season. Higher is better.
- Box impact
- Estimated points per 100 possessions above league average, from the historical model. Zero is average; higher is better.
Career standing
How Hakeem Olajuwon ranks all time
These are league placements, not raw scores. Each season is judged against that season's qualified player pool.
Best in the league
Elite finishes
Upper-tier finishes
Tie-breaker across top-ten seasons
Career Composite Score4.3
Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes receive 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights. Missing seasons receive a replacement finish just below the player's typical qualified field. Lower is better.
- Best 3 effective weight
- 74%
- Missing-season finish
- 293.0
- Qualified seasons
- 18
- All-time rank
- #31
Strongest seasons
Every season
Hakeem Olajuwon advanced stats by season
Era-centered box impact supports comparisons through time. Impact Rate and its rank compare players only within that season.
More advanced statsAge, minutes, impact, rank, value and data coverage
Scroll for more columns
| pts/100 · higher is better | 0–100 · higher is better | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02Historical Defense Estimate | TOR | 39 | 61 | 1,378 | +0.92 | 75.9 | #79 | 74.5 | 65th | Broad |
| 2000–01Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 38 | 58 | 1,545 | +2.17 | 86.2 | #46 | 121.5 | 77th | Broad |
| 1999–00Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 37 | 44 | 1,049 | +0.33 | 64.1 | #116 | 48.0 | 54th | Broad |
| 1998–99Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 36 | 50 | 1,784 | +3.32 | 90.2 | #28 | 175.5 | 93rd | Broad |
| 1997–98Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 35 | 47 | 1,633 | +3.05 | 89.6 | #34 | 156.4 | 83rd | Broad |
| 1996–97Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 34 | 78 | 2,852 | +3.40 | 91.8 | #27 | 293.8 | 93rd | Broad |
| 1995–96Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 33 | 72 | 2,797 | +5.85 | 97.5 | #9 | 426.1 | 98th | Broad |
| 1994–95Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 32 | 72 | 2,853 | +5.99 | 98.7 | #5 | 447.4 | 98th | Broad |
| 1993–94Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 31 | 80 | 3,277 | +6.60 | 99.0 | #4 | 557.9 | 100th | Broad |
| 1992–93Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 30 | 82 | 3,242 | +7.92 | 99.7 | #2 | 632.7 | 100th | Broad |
| 1991–92Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 29 | 70 | 2,636 | +5.63 | 97.2 | #9 | 398.5 | 97th | Broad |
| 1990–91Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 28 | 56 | 2,062 | +6.09 | 97.3 | #9 | 342.3 | 95th | Broad |
| 1989–90Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 27 | 82 | 3,124 | +6.32 | 98.3 | #6 | 547.9 | 98th | Broad |
| 1988–89Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 26 | 82 | 3,024 | +5.69 | 97.7 | #7 | 493.3 | 98th | Broad |
| 1987–88Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 25 | 79 | 2,825 | +4.86 | 97.2 | #8 | 411.1 | 98th | Broad |
| 1986–87Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 24 | 75 | 2,760 | +6.50 | 98.4 | #5 | 488.5 | 98th | Broad |
| 1985–86Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 23 | 68 | 2,467 | +5.21 | 98.4 | #5 | 383.5 | 97th | Broad |
| 1984–85Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 22 | 82 | 2,914 | +2.32 | 90.1 | #26 | 268.2 | 91st | Broad |
Career movement
Hakeem Olajuwon's box impact by season
Peak box impact +7.92 points per 100 possessions in 1992–93 · 18 seasons · 44,222 minutes
Box impact estimates points per 100 possessions above each season's league average. Zero is average; higher is better. Rank labels show Impact Rate league places, not ranks on this chart's box-impact scale.
Box impact · points per 100 possessionsMinutes
Player-specific impact scaleWorkload
Career comparison
Compare the shape, not the calendar
Align by NBA experience to compare season one with season one, or by age to compare players at the same stage of life.
Hakeem OlajuwonTim Duncan
| NBA season | Hakeem Olajuwon | Tim Duncan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.3 | 4.3 |
| 2 | 5.2 | 4.4 |
| 3 | 6.5 | 5.1 |
| 4 | 4.9 | 4.0 |
| 5 | 5.7 | 6.7 |
| 6 | 6.3 | 6.7 |
| 7 | 6.1 | 7.7 |
| 8 | 5.6 | 7.3 |
| 9 | 7.9 | 4.3 |
| 10 | 6.6 | 6.5 |
| 11 | 6.0 | 5.1 |
| 12 | 5.8 | 5.7 |
| 13 | 3.4 | 5.8 |
| 14 | 3.1 | 3.9 |
| 15 | 3.3 | 2.9 |
| 16 | 0.3 | 4.9 |
| 17 | 2.2 | 3.1 |
| 18 | 0.9 | 5.0 |
| 19 | Did not play | 2.4 |
NBA season number
Similar career arcs
Players with careers similar to Hakeem Olajuwon
The career-similarity score compares era-centered box impact, peak, prime, workload, career length, position, and experience-aligned trajectory. It describes career shape, not playing style, equal ability, or probability.
PF · All-Time Career #30
Tim Duncan
92career similarity score
89/100 closest-season score · 1992–93 ↔ 2006–07PF · All-Time Career #23Karl Malone
90career similarity score
92/100 closest-season score · 1992–93 ↔ 1992–93PF · All-Time Career #29Charles Barkley
88career similarity score
90/100 closest-season score · 1992–93 ↔ 1992–93Impact Rate shows how strong a player was compared with everyone else that season. Season Value adds how much he played; completed player-profile rows instead show each season's fixed-baseline contribution to Career Value. Career Impact Rank rewards a high peak, a long prime, and repeated seasons near the top. Older seasons use clearly labeled estimates where the NBA did not record today's full set of statistics. Read how every ranking works →