Hakeem Olajuwon

By Bill Gutman

Book Overview

Examines the life of basketball superstar Hakeem Olajuwon, from his roots in Nigeria, to his years at the University of Houston, to his back-to-back championships as the center for the NBA's Houston... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1562945688
• ISBN13: 9781562945688
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Millbrook Press
• Length: 48 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 8.5" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 8 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 6

Customer Reviews

The story of a true sports hero

Hakeem Olajuwon is truly one of the good men of sports. A devout Muslim, when another Muslim player in the NBA chose to cover his face when the American National Anthem was played, Olajuwon spoke out and said that Islam dictates that you be a good citizen of your country. He was also an incredible basketball player, with a drive and determination to succeed that rivaled any other player. However, he is also to be admired for his work ethic, a native of Nigeria, where basketball is an incidental sport, he had to learn the game quickly. When he enrolled at the University of Houston, he was an immigrant to the United States, not yet fully developed physically and knew little of the subtleties of basketball. Yet, in only a few years, he worked himself into the position where he was one of the best players in the world. His story is an inspiring one, it will demonstrate to children that success is a combination of talent and work; in most cases the preponderance is work. Gutman captures the essence of Olajuwon, his roots, life and determination to be the best. This is a very good book for children.