[NBA] Ewing and Olajuwon Selected to Hall of Fame

Former centers Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon were selected to the NBA Hall of Fame yesterday along with five others in San Antonio, Texas.

The other five were former player Adrian Dantley, coaches Pat Riley and Cathy Rush, basketball commentator Dick Vitale and Detroit Pistons owner William Davidson.

Ewing, Olajuwon and Riley were named in their first year of eligibility. Dantley finally got in after five tries, Rush four and Vitale two. Davidson won the honor on his second nomination.

Ewing and Olajuwon began their heated rivalry in college. In 1984, Ewing helped Georgetown University win the NCAA title over Olajuwon’s University of Houston. In 1994, however, Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to the NBA title, beating Ewing and the New York Knicks.

Playing for the Knicks, Seattle Supersonics and Orlando Magic, Ewing averaged 21 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.45 blocked shots in his 17-year playing career. Selected the league’s top rookie in 1986, he played in 11 All-Star games.

Olajuwon played for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors over 18 seasons, averaging 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.09 blocked shots. In 1994, he became the only NBA player to win Most Valuable Player of the regular season and the NBA Finals and Defensive Player of the Year.

Riley took over the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, winning four titles. He has since coached the Knicks and the Miami Heat, bringing both teams to the NBA Finals. Riley helped lead the Heat to their first title in 2005.

hic@donga.com