Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is a former professional basketball star. He left his hometown of Lagos, Nigeria in order to play basketball for the University of Houston. Olajuwon helped take the the team to three Final Four appearrances and was drafter first over all in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. His style of play was very special. He dominated the defensive end, leading the league in blocks three times (1990, 1991, 1993) and rebounds twice (1989, 1990). Hakeem was very unique on the offensive end where he not only dominated with his size but also his skills. His set of fakes and spins changed the way the center position was played and was called the Dream Shake. 

Hakeem was one league's first non-American superstars. He became the league's first non-American to be named an All-Star, the first non-American to be NBA MVP (1994), and first non-American to be the Defensive Player of the Year(1993, 1994). He was also the first person to ever win Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same year (1994). Olajuwon would take the Rockets to another championship the following year. The star center has had his number retired by the University of Houston and was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.