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For Abi Olajuwon, her earliest basketball memories have nothing to do with dribbling down a court or shooting the ball into a net.
Olajuwon recalls bus rides from Houston to other NBA cities alongside her father, NBA great Hakeem Olajuwon.
She remembers watching the towering 7-foot center fans called “The Dream” win back-to-back NBA titles with the Rockets.
And she looks back fondly at the good times she had with players such as Clyde Drexler, Robert Horry and Kenny Smith, men Abi said were like uncles to her.
“That was just something that was a part of my life,” Olajuwon said.
Perhaps it's no surprise that Olajuwon, now a high school senior bound for the University of Oklahoma, is herself one of the game's top young players, selected to play in tonight's McDonald's All American Game at Cox Arena.
But even with a familiar name and number 34 on her jersey, the younger Olajuwon is determined to forge her own identity, on and off the court.
“Some people assume that, because of my last name, I won't try to work as hard or the path is already made for me,” said Olajuwon, a 6-3 center who completed a successful high school career at Los Angeles Marlborough. “But it's just something that makes me want to justify my (own) last name as Abi Olajuwon and not the daughter of Hakeem Olajuwon.”
Unlike her father, who is long and athletic, Abi Olajuwon is more solidly built, an asset in the paint on offense and defense.
Proof can be found in her stats. Olajuwon averaged a double-double as a senior, with 15.9 points, 15.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
Despite her success, Olajuwon is acutely aware of her critics.
“There's no gray area for me with a lot of people,” Olajuwon said. “Either I'm a great basketball player or I'm overrated. I have always said, I'm willing to take advice from anyone who's willing to give it to me and take the time. If you want to critique me about something, teach me. I'm always willing to learn because I want to get better and be the best.”
Olajuwon's determination to improve is partly due to her late start in the game. Despite being around basketball at its highest level since birth, Olajuwon didn't actually participate in the sport seriously until she was in eighth grade.
Olajuwon said her father's focus was never on making her the next great player. His focus, she said, was on molding the next great person.
“He's more adamant about character, about dignity, about how to portray yourself on and off the court,” said Olajuwon, who has remained close to her father despite being raised in Los Angeles by her mother, Lita Richardson. “How to be selfless and you will get the accolades that you want and how to remember the people who got you there.
“He's more about that because he feels sometimes the money and media and fame make you forget about the important things. That's what I think is so important, and that's why I'm so honored to be coming to this game.”
Olajuwon's invitation to the McDonald's All American Game is special to her because of the players who've earned it before her.
Some are contemporaries of her father – Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and Sam Perkins.
Others are some of her closest friends in the game – Oklahoma freshmen Courtney and Ashley Paris.
Olajuwon said her family ties sparked an instant bond with the Paris twins, daughters of former NFL offensive lineman Bubba Paris.
“They immediately connected with me and have taken me as their younger sister,” Olajuwon said. “They helped me through the recruiting process the whole time.”
That bond played a major part in Olajuwon's decision to sign with the Sooners, seeing the chance to play alongside the Paris sisters as a challenge worth accepting.
“I wanted to play against the best post player in the country, and (Courtney Paris) is the best post player in the country,” Olajuwon said. “If that means I sit on the bench and come off sixth man, and I'm learning every day in practice, then that's the point of college.”
The university's proximity to Houston, where her father still lives, was also a consideration.
“That was a big thing for me,” Olajuwon said. “It wouldn't be a big travel for him.”
Olajuwon is looking forward to playing at the next level, and is appreciative that she had the chance to first play in tonight's game.
“I feel like it's a small taste of what college is going to be like,” Olajuwon said. “Everyone here is the best. It's a great situation.”
Olajuwan: The Next Generation
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