Fresh off an NBA title as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics, the former Houston Rockets guard Sam Cassell I recently had some opinions about one of the best players in the league.
In a article published by the Houston Chronicle, Cassell spoke about his feelings for his former Rockets teammate, Hakeem Olajuwonwould perform against the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
“Olajuwon is a beast both ways,” Cassell said. “Olajuwon was top 10 in every category in the NBA: steals, rebounds, points scored. So I think Jokic is going to score against Olajuwon, but Olajuwon is going to wear him down because of the constant pressure. He doesn’t back up Olajuwon under the basket, that doesn’t happen. And on the other end of the floor, Jokic doesn’t have a chance. Does he think Joel Embiid gave him problems on offense? He doesn’t have a chance because how could you stop him? Olajuwon had a counter to everything we did on defense.”
Cassell played in the NBA from 1993 to 2009, spending the first three years of his career in Houston, helping Olajuwon and the Rockets win back-to-back NBA titles. Cassell won another championship as a player in Boston before earning his fourth overall ring as an assistant coach with the Celtics in 2024.
Olajuwon played for the Rockets from 1984 to 2000, and had one of the most illustrious careers in NBA history.
A two-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-NBA honoree, nine-time All-Defense selection, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and 1994 MVP winner, Olajuwon is a Basketball Hall of Famer and one of the most recognizable figures in Rockets history.
While he doesn’t have the same resume as Olajuwon, Jokic has also compiled an impressive career.
In his first nine seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Jokic has earned six All-NBA nominations, six All-Star nominations and three MVP awards, in addition to being named to the All-Rookie Team in 2016 and winning the Finals MVP award in 2023.
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