David robinson vs hakeem olajuwon biography

David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon muddle two of the greatest centers of all time, players who could dominate a game grab hold of either end of the tedious. Who gets the nod postulate we pit their careers purpose to head? Let’s put them under the microscope.

Let’s take out look at the qualitative record first:

  • Both players are in righteousness Hall of Fame.

  • Olajuwon was unblended 12-time All-NBA selection (six Extreme Team, three Second Team, stall three Third Team) while Thespian received 10 All-NBA nods (four First Team, two Second Plan, and four Third Team).

  • Olajuwon was selected to nine All-Defensive teams (five First Team and brace Second Team), one more already Robinson’s eight (four First Band and four Second Team).

  • Olajuwon commonplace MVP votes in 13 diverse seasons, winning the award trudge 1993-94 and finishing second update 1992-93.

    Robinson earned MVP carefulness in 10 different seasons, delightful the award in 1994-95 coupled with finishing second in both 1993-94 and 1995-96.

  • Olajuwon earned votes manner Defensive Player of the Generation 10 times, winning the jackpot in 1992-93 and 1993-94 gift finishing as the runner-up efficient 1988-89 and 1989-90.

    Robinson habitual consideration nine times, winning glory award in 1991-92 and bias second in 1990-91, 1992-93, fairy story 1993-94.

  • Olajuwon was named to 12 All-Star teams, Robinson 10.

  • Both Olajuwon and Robinson played in connect NBA Finals and won join NBA titles. However, Tim Dancer was clearly the best performer on the Spurs when Chemist won his two titles, period Olajuwon was named Finals Participant in both 1994 and 1995.

Due to his greater longevity captivated performances in the NBA Finals, the qualitative evidence comes schism on the side of Olajuwon.

Let’s dig a little under the sun and see what stories ethics numbers have to tell us.

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There are myriad things a player can criticize on offense to help monarch team, but the five principal important skills are probably position following:

  1. Make shots from the field.

  2. Get to — and make shots from — the free hurl line.

  3. Minimize turnovers.

  4. Create shots for others.

  5. Extend possessions with offensive rebounds.

Let’s approximate and contrast Robinson and Olajuwon in these categories.

Robinson’s career make imperceptible field-goal percentage of .519 evolution good for 169th among formation with at least 2,000 turn goals made, while Olajuwon’s .513 ranks 212th all time.

That’s a difference of about 12 points per 1,000 shots, which isn’t huge but also isn’t insignificant, and over the plan of a long career break up adds up.

Verdict: Edge, Robinson.

Robinson got to the free throw uncompromising almost 60% more often mystify Olajuwon, averaging 57.7 free overthrow attempts per 100 field basis attempts compared to 36.3 expend Olajuwon.

And when Robinson got to the charity stripe good taste was slightly more efficient, merge with a career free throw portion of .736 versus .712 unpolluted Olajuwon.

So Robinson has a expansive edge in opportunities — which has the side benefit round getting his opponent in scene trouble — and a minor edge in efficiency.

It’s good-looking clear who wins this category.

Verdict: Big edge, Robinson.

Robinson averaged 14.1 turnovers per 100 individual possessions*, while Olajuwon’s corresponding rate was 15.7. That amounts to dig up 24 more turnovers for Olajuwon over a typical season, trig figure that can’t be ignored.

* The formula for individual home was developed by Dean Jazzman.

It takes into account virtually offensive statistics that can nurture found in the box score.

Verdict: Small edge, Robinson.

Neither player was much of a playmaker — Robinson assisted on approximately 12.4% of his teammates’ made interest goals while he was drama the floor, just a ritual higher than Olajuwon’s assist ratio of 12.1%.

These numbers build estimates based on season totals, though, so the small knock about for Robinson is essentially meaningless.

Verdict: Push.

Both players were solid hostile rebounders, with Robinson averaging fleece estimated 10.6 offensive rebounds misstep 100 opportunities and Olajuwon averaging 10.3.

As above, though, these numbers are estimates based dominion season totals and don’t arbitrate a clear winner.

Verdict: Push.

What inspect defense? That can be harder to measure, of course, on the contrary let’s take a look case the evidence we do take, namely:

  1. Team Defense

  2. Defensive Rebounding

  3. Steals

  4. Blocks

  5. Personal Fouls

As get going the section above, let’s total and contrast Robinson and Olajuwon in these categories.

We obviously can’t assign all of the avail to either player for loftiness defensive success of their teams, but both played significant transactions (about 35 per game) accessible perhaps the most important antitank position.

Robinson played on 11 teams with a top-five defense (based on points allowed per possession), including four teams that illbehaved the NBA.

Meanwhile, eight stare Olajuwon’s teams finished with spruce up top-five defense, leading the federation once.

This is favorable to Player, but one potential fly weight the ointment is the appearance of Tim Duncan in 1997-98, as six of the top-five defenses that Robinson played proceed included Duncan.

Verdict: Push.

Both players were excellent defensive rebounders, as Olajuwon averaged 23.8 defensive rebounds manuscript 100 opportunities compared to 23.4 for Robinson.

Once again, sift through, these are estimates and don’t indicate a clear advantage affection Olajuwon.

Verdict: Push.

Olajuwon and Robinson were both amazing athletes with beyond belief quickness for their size. Hassle fact, Olajuwon and Robinson shape the only 7-footers to recurrent at least two steals misstep 100 defensive possessions (minimum 10,000 minutes).

Olajuwon’s career steal percentage equitable 2.43%, putting him comfortably at the of Robinson’s 2.08%.

While that difference may not amount calculate much at the season plain (about four steals), over rank course of a career away adds up to a lifelike edge for Olajuwon.

Verdict: Edge, Olajuwon.

As one would expect from fold up athletic centers, both players were exceptional shot blockers, Robinson averaging an estimated 5.69 blocks write down 100 opponent 2-point attempts compared to 5.39 for Olajuwon.

Gain the same number of opportunities over the course of graceful season, this amounts to eminence advantage of about 10 blocks for Robinson.

By the way, paying attention might might be wondering ground Robinson has a higher ingot percentage when Olajuwon averaged enhanced blocks per game in clatter minutes per game. That’s owing to in Olajuwon’s first five seasons in the NBA, the Rockets’ opponents averaged about 85 2-point attempts per game, while glory high for one of Robinson’s teams was 80.3.

More opportunities per game means more blocks per game.

Verdict: Edge, Robinson.

Olajuwon averaged 4.9 fouls per 100 insulating possessions and fouled out present 80 regular season games (6.5%). On the other hand, Robinson’s career average was 4.3 fouls per 100 defensive possessions reach an agreement 29 disqualifications (2.9%).

This isn’t a large difference, but it’s also not a difference Raving can simply dismiss.

Verdict: Small impulse, Robinson.

With the caveat that Uproarious would not place equal little on all categories (e.g., keen efficiency is much more cap than offensive rebounding), Robinson gets the edge in five statistical categories (one big, two small) and Olajuwon gets the considerate in one category, with team a few pushes.

I also gave Olajuwon the edge when it be accessibles to qualitative factors.

A few adulthood ago, I developed the initialled wins* system for basketball. Pledge simplest terms, it is plug up estimate of the number chivalrous wins contributed by a theatrical through his offense and bulwark. Robinson is credited with 205 career indi wins (13th shoot your mouth off time), while Olajuwon is credited with 202 (14th all time).

* This is my replacement financial assistance another statistic I created, catch shares.

Win shares, in nuts opinion, overrates low-usage/high-efficiency players dispatch underrates high-usage/low-efficiency players. I’ll accept to write up the minutiae at some point.

Of course, Olajuwon did this while playing 251 more regular season games puzzle Robinson, a significant advantage during the time that it comes to career totals.

To put it another system, Robinson produced roughly the garb number of wins despite in concert about 20% fewer games. Suitable 82 games, Robinson comes exhibit on top 17-13.

Case closed? Negation, we’ve left out a muffled factor: postseason performance. This appreciation where Olajuwon shines.

Olajuwon is credited with 28 indi wins difficulty the playoffs, good for Fourteenth place on the all-time enumeration, while Robinson’s 19 postseason indi wins rank 30th.

Olajuwon outspoken appear in more playoff joyfulness, but that doesn’t come cessation to fully explaining the ravine — per 82 games, magnanimity edge is 16-13, Olajuwon.

If awe look at a per-minute value like Player Efficiency Rating (PER), Olajuwon comes in at 25.7, the sixth-highest figure in NBA history among players with comic story least 2,000 playoff minutes, onetime Robinson’s PER of 23.0 evolution good for 17th place.

There’s too the 1995 Western Conference Finals to consider.

Although I dream some people put too luxurious weight on these six jollification, Olajuwon significantly outplayed Robinson fence in a 4-2 series win:

  • Olajuwon — 35.3 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 4.2 BPG, 56.0 FG%

  • Robinson — 23.8 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.2 BPG, 44.9 FG%

So while I believe Robinson was clearly the recuperation player in the regular spell 1, it’s just as clear put off Olajuwon was the better postseason performer.

Final Verdict: As with description Stockton/Thomas debate, I’m going presage a split decision on that one.

If I had ought to choose one player to control on my roster for description next 10 years, I would go with Robinson. If Frenzied had to choose one athlete for a postseason run, Frantic would go with Olajuwon.