When’s the best time to ask your boss for a $15 million contract extension? For most of us, never. For Hakeem Olajuwon, it was the winter of 1992. Sure, the Rockets weren’t doing so hot and had just fired coach Don Chaney, but Hakeem was making less than the league’s other elite centers, so what’s the harm in asking? Beef? Is beef the harm in asking?
Yes.
First, owner Charlie Thomas and GM Steve Patterson refused to negotiate with him. Then Olajuwon strained his hamstring, and the Rockets brass was like ,“Oh yeah right, you’re not hurt, you’re just refusing to play until we negotiate your contract.” They suspended Olajuwon and took to the press with their fake-injury allegations.
Hakeem fired back in the press, really going after Thomas and Patterson’s intelligence. The word “stupid” was used quite a bit. Oh, and he also demanded a trade.
The 92-93 season rolled around and Hakeem did not get traded, though he did eventually land a contract on par with David Robinson and Patrick Ewing. Despite the ugly months, Hakeem managed to find happiness with Houston,– it helped that ownership and GMs changed. And best of all might be Olajuwon and the Rockets took home two, that’s right TWO, subsequent championships.
Written and produced by: Clara Morris
Edited by: Phil Pasternak and Ryan Simmons
Directed by: Ryan Simmons
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34 Comments
Welllllllllll well well. You again. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy this beef but make sure you save a little room, we've got more coming next weekend too.
Looking back on it, I wish he had been traded. To the Sixers or Suns or Blazers or someone like that.
Yet more proof that ownership can ruin a players career just because smh
So you're telling me Shaq and Hakeem had the same agent, 🤯🤯!!
The last really boring “dynasty” in the nba the stadium they played in was ghetto asl it’s now a funky old mega church
This channel and delivery are very well thought out. Great narration and information about the sport I love most! Keep it up!!!
I remember him being disgruntled in 92-93 it’s wild they won it all next year
A strain won’t show up on a X ray 😂
All of this is so true. It’s a miracle Hakeem even stayed in Houston after 92. This shows how inept the Rockets ownership & General Management was. The real reason that they couldn’t kept a championship roster.
Can you imagine buying a professional basketball team for only 85,000,000?!?
How many times in the 4 major American sports has a title contender been sold? Seems absurd to me
Damn annoying voice paused and left video at 30 seconds
He did sign with the Raptors at the end…🙄🙄🙄🙄
I’m really disappointed that this video didn’t show Hakeem telling Kenny Smith to bring him some water…
Who is this amazing storyteller
I love The Jet for sticking up for his teammate. That can be difficult to do when you're dealing with a lot of "rhymes with luckery" within an organization. Isn't it cool that "The Jet" played for "The Rockets"??!!??????!?????!!!!????
Sold the team. And right away the team wins two in a row.
He definitely sat out on purpose. I saw his run and he was tanking it. Then just sat out. No playoffs rest. Funny as hell. Then he comes out and plays better than he ever did and won a chip.
Bro they need a better narrator
Yes Hakeem had a case a good one. He was the best center in the league. But not making the money Ewing and Robinson were making. BUUUT Hakeem signed the contract. I mean he agreed with it at the time, the price of the extension I mean. Contracts are always going to be quickly usurped. Though back then that wasn’t as well known. The money hadn’t gotten crazy yet. But it was growing in leaps and bounds. I don’t believe Hakeem was faking” the injury. But was VERY unhappy in Houston. All worked out in the end thank goodness.
Michael Jordan vs Bulls. Please!
GOD bless yall
clara ur voice is half reason i watch these videos
As a bulls fan The only REASON the rockets won 2 championships is due to MJ being out of the league; MJ came back & gave the rockets 3 chances to meet them in the finals it never occurred!!!!!!
stroke of luck, my foot!!
I was born in Seattle in 1973, where I grew up. Sonics and Blazers fan. Japanese-American. I remember, back in the days of NEWSPAPERS, there were articles that we were going to bring Hakeem Olajuwon to Seattle, for Benoit Benjamin, Derrick McKey, Dana Barros, and Mike Cage.
I'm telling you I doubt that Hakeem won't be remembered as a Rockets legend if he and team didn't reconciliate. I'm glad he did and got rewarded with 2 championships even though they were in the middle of the great Bulls dynasty.
God damn it, he had a chance to go to my Blazers instead of Clyde the Glide getting shipped to the Rockets?
Frickin’ Blazers are cursed.
The dream, him and McHale have the greatest footwork in the paint in the history of the league.
LOL at Clara narrating beef history. Whenever she narrates, it’s always going to be sooooo funny. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
some things never change. owners far richer than players trying to tell fans how greedy the players are as they line their own pockets.
Your content is awesome
11:09 – Dope ending!
The contract beef is funny in retrospect, because if you think about it there wasn't any real benefit; yeah Charlie Thomas could tell buyers "look at all this potential! Hakeem's being paid for peanuts! It's a steal!" but everyone probably knew that Hakeem was being underpaid, and deserved & was angling for a better contract, and was basically a ticking money-bomb for anyone buying who didn't consider that.
If anything, settling the contract probably made the team more appealing; who wants to try to negotiate paying more immediately after putting down money for the team? Pretty concerning unknown there.