Hakeem Olajuwon Quotes

• When you get to that level, it's not a matter of talent anymore - because all the players are so talented - it's about preparation, about playing smart and making good decisions.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Motivational, Basketball, Smart

  48 Copy quote

• It's not up to anyone else to make me give my best.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Sports, Ambition

  11 Copy quote

• The most important thing in a person's life is his faith and how he translates his faith into practical deeds.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Leadership, Sports, Important

  21 Copy quote

• Basketball is in my blood. It is my obligation to try.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Inspirational, Basketball, Blood

  17 Copy quote

• All these boundaries - Africa, Asia, Malaysia, America - are set by men. But you don't have to look at boundaries when you are looking at a man - at the character of a man. The question is: What do you stand for? Are you a follower, or are you a leader?

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Motivational, Positive, Basketball

  76 Copy quote

• God comes first. Paradise is not cheap.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Paradise, Firsts

  11 Copy quote

• Being from Africa is the best thing that could have ever, ever happened to me. I cannot see it any other way. All of my fundamental principles that were instilled in me in my home, from my childhood, are still with me.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Home, Childhood

  "Slam dunk - interview with basketball player Hakeem Olajuwon". Interview with Spike Lee, February 1994.

  9 Copy quote

• Sports is good for health and for children, it gives them manhood, courage, teaches them team work and coordination. Sports is something that is so crucial, it makes everything.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Sports, Children, Team

  Source: www.theislamicmonthly.com

  5 Copy quote

• I was successful materially, but I know life is much more than worldly success. I saw all these blessings God had given me. The way to give thanks is obedience to God.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Successful, Blessing, Giving

  5 Copy quote

• I'm the kind of person who always wants more.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Want, Kind, Persons

  4 Copy quote

• I always keep a ball in the car. You never know.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Sports, Car, Balls

  8 Copy quote

• I'm shy, but sometimes my voice is so clear and strong.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Strong, Voice, Shy

  9 Copy quote

• Allah says in the Qur'an not to despise one another. So the criterion in Islam is not color or social status. It's who is most righteous. If I go to a mosque - and I'm a basketball player with money and prestige - if I go to a mosque and see an imam, I feel inferior. He's better than me. It's about knowledge.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Player, Color

  12 Copy quote

• When people start comparing him with (Michael) Jordan then that's not a fair comparison. Jordan was a far more superior player in a very tough league, he was very creative. That's not taking away anything from LeBron because he is a great player, but it is not a fair comparison because Jordan is a far superior player.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Player, People, League

  7 Copy quote

• The difference must be distinguished between worship and respect. Islam orders you to obey and respect, as long as you are not worshiping anything other than God... Islam is a religion of peace. You don't attack. You explain.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Order, Differences, Long

  6 Copy quote

• My background playing soccer gave me a natural advantage over many of the American-born players.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Soccer, Sports, Player

  "Is African Soccer the NBA’s New Breeding Ground?" by Ange Kagame, www.huffingtonpost.com. March 4, 2015.

  9 Copy quote

• I don't think Michael had to retire for us to get the spotlight, because when you win, it commands attention.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Winning, Thinking

  16 Copy quote

• I was doing just my duty, but that was impacting a lot of people and making them proud. So, I feel so grateful to Allah for giving me that opportunity while I had that chance to make that impact. And thankfully it impacted all the people - more than I realized.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Grateful, Opportunity, People

  5 Copy quote

• When I look at the system here and look at my position - not just as a basketball player, but when I look around me at the values of the people and the culture and compare them with the values of where I came from - I feel so blessed to be from Africa.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Blessed, Player

  7 Copy quote

• When I was playing, I didn't realize how much of an impact I would make on people, Muslim or non-Muslim. We played a lot of games during Ramadan. On national TV, the announcers were commenting about Ramadan, and this raised the awareness to the general public and we made all the Muslims very, very proud.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  People, Proud, Realizing

  Interview with Amina Chaudary, www.theislamicmonthly.com. August 23, 2014.

  5 Copy quote

• My life is very simple. I like simplicity and for my time to be my own, so that I have the freedom to devote the majority of it to Islam.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Simple, Simplicity

  "Slam dunk - interview with basketball player Hakeem Olajuwon". Interview with Spike Lee, February 1994.

  5 Copy quote

• I've now been in this country for thirteen years, since I was seventeen. So this is my second home.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Country, Home

  7 Copy quote

• I love fashion as much as I love basketball! It is a great joy for me to express myself through designing my own collection.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Fashion, Design

  7 Copy quote

• In many ways, my job in soccer was like my job in basketball now. I had to protect the goal. That was the name of the game, not letting the other team score.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Basketball, Soccer, Jobs

  6 Copy quote

• I remember at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Shaq always wanted me to show him steps over and over.

  Hakeem Olajuwon

  Atlanta, Olympics, Steps

  64 Copy quote

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