Whether he was slamming a dunk, ripping down a rebound, or intercepting a pass, Hakeem Olajuwon was a force to be reckoned with. He was the center for the Houston Rockets. He led his team to back-to-back NBA championships, earned numerous MVP awards and was ranked among the top players in blocked shots. He was born in Nigeria and never handled a basketball until he was fifteen years old. Another great Matt Christopher biography.