Arvydas Sabonis vs Hakeem Olajuwon (1996)

Arvydas Sabonis face to face against one of the 50 greates players in NBA history, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon in December 1996.

[@GHOST91141]

If we could have saw this matchup around the years of 86-94 would have been crazy

[@bendrasin]

Before 1993 or so it would not have been close. Olajuwon was a very, very good center but Sabonis was just on another level in his prime

[@petr79]

he dominated against David Robinson in the world championships

[@POETICAMBITIONZ]

Agreed.

[@northernassassin6056]

1986 Sabonis kills him...KILLS.

[@syncmonism]

Sabonis in his prime might have actually been a top 5 all time player. I mean, his combination of size and skill is right up there with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain. He definitely wasn't quite as athletic as Wilt, but he was taller, and still unusually athletic for his size.

[@Diaz23]

I don’t know about that..he was good don’t get me wrong but he was only 32 when he came to the NBA..not old not young but young enough to be fit still. He was fat and slow so I doubt he could’ve been top 5. Bill Walton over Sabonis all day

[@TheMsatru]

Ahhhh

[@pigma15]

@@Diaz23 he was slow because his ACL was torn twice. It is not about his age, it is about his injury history

[@mane1551]

No he wouldn't I seen him play in Olympics he was ok at best

[@zachvanwolf2123]

@Diaz23 By the time he came to the NBA his feet were mashed potatoes, man. At age 32 already that's sad, but earlier injuries are still a factor. In his prime though he would have also stood ground against prime Shaq and Hakeem, maybe even dominate them. But compete fore sure!

[@uberneanderthal]

Jokic skill + Mark Eaton size + Darryl Dawkins athleticism = Prime Sabonis

[@doubletroubledad1323]

Wow, even though Sabonis had lost virtually all of his athleticism by this point due to all the injuries, he played really well against Hakeem. Very impressive game for him. Thanks for the rare upload.

[@javiersantosaberturas8245]

No center has ever had more basketbal inside than Sabonis. It is impressive to see him efficiently defending a prime Olajuwom, even with his physical problems.

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

That's not a prime Olajuwon this is him in year 16 after knee, back and hamstring injuries

[@elnardowebster2842]

Olajuwon's prime ended in game 4 of the 95 Finals, with a three pointer btw lol

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

@@elnardowebster2842 I would say Olajuwon's prime ended in the Sumner of 95' when he injured his back lifting weights getting ready to play Shaq 1v1 in the Taco Bell 1v1 at Trump's Taj mahal lol

[@angelmendez6638]

Pero es que Sabonis estaba en su peor momento y aún así, compara tú...

[@thetraveler9]

Hakeem was not in his prime in 96

[@valis14]

Sabonis outplayed Olajuwon in these clips. Reminds me so much of Jokic - or the reverse I suppose - where both players don’t appear to be doing too much physically, moving slow, yet they’re doing everything.

[@frandavilacardenes]

American fans praise Olajuwon and he deserves it... but I tell you this... Sabonis in his prime ate Olajuwons for breakfast.

[@FuShengAlex]

Puhleeze.

[@fran2365]

Para mi, Sabonis es el mejor. Soy de Valladolid y tuvimos la suerte de disfrutar de su baloncesto tres años. Saludos

[@sabonistkachenko8778]

Los que pudisteis ir a verlo os podéis considerar unos privilegiados. Envidia sana. Un saludo

[@macarenaperez3088]

Gran jugador Jamonis

[@angelmendez6638]

Sabonis y Lalo García (DEP) que grandes y Óscar.

[@hacsom6085]

Los dos center, pero Sabonis con 10 centímetros más de altura, es una gran ventaja.

[@ericroberts7485]

Sabonis is one of the best centers to ever play. Don’t listen to Shaq he’s too busy trying to rewrite history to fit his ego. I like Shaq but he’s a little spoiled. He never gives credit to others that could possibly threaten his legacy. Wilt Chamberlain still rents space in his head. Chamberlain probably rents space in Jordan’s head too. Most people don’t seem to know how Wilt antagonized MJ. Wilts the GOAT. He’s before my time but I looked into him and there’s no one like him. The closest is Kareem or Sabonis. A Sabonis prime would give Chamberlain something to think about but Wilt is so superior physically to everyone. Sabonis would school Alajuan in his prime. Sabonis has more skills. Very intelligent player as well. I admit watching Sabonis I almost think he would do better against Kareem. I’m almost willing to say he is the second best center of all time. A lot crazy stuff being said here but I’ve watched a lot of footage on Sabonis and Kareem. Sabonis looks better. I don’t hang on to hype like most people. I let my eyes decide what I see not what everyone’s saying.

[@stephenbanks5860]

Agreed, Wilt was the best ever. Sabonis was one of the greats for sure.

[@martynas9019]

Its hard to say who is the GOAT, but if Sabonis played NBA at his prime he would be included to top 75 players of all time for sure.

[@angelmendez6638]

Totalmente de acuerdo, Wilt el mejor center de la historia y el segundo Sabonis. Pero esperamos a Wembanyama que superará a Wilt.

[@williammunny9916]

Sabonis didn't have knees at that time, let that sink in.

[@valentinagarciafernandez9031]

De los jugadores que he visto jugar ante mis propios ojos, los 2 mejores pívots han sido Kareem Abdul Jabbar y Arvydas Sabonis; y además los pondría a cierta distancia sobre cualquier otro que hasta este momento haya visto. Si tuviese que elegir uno solo de entre los dos, me quedaría con el Arvydas Sabonis en Europa de las temporadas 85-86. No solo tenía una visión y comprensión del juego que no tenía paralelo, sino que además su excepcional capacidad atlética en ese momento estaba intacta.

[@andrzejzborowski4920]

Ten years earlier it would be the best big men duel in the world.

[@luzaozanetti8874]

Sabonis center Master of Universe teaches Hakeem

[@panosmaxvalde9410]

100% the best basketball iq...!!!

[@elsdenf.8598]

Arvydas foi muito foda! 💪🏽

[@dkechag1979]

Wow, impressive to see how Sabonis still pretty much dominates Olajuwon when way past his prime, after multiple injuries had made him much lower and less athletic than his prime...

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

This is over the hill Olajuwon after he carried his team for a decade and a half

[@biggysmoov5877]

This is Olajuwon past his prime, too

[@dkechag1979]

@@hakeemolajuwon4352 it is not even comparable. Sabonis came to the NBA a completely different player, his knees were shot, it was not just that he was getting a bit older. Hakeem's most productive season was in 94-95, in 96 he was still Hakeem the Dream. We'll never know how Sabonis would have fared in the NBA during the 80s - we can only get some ideas from what he did later when he was definitely not the same player.

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

@@dkechag1979 Wrong! His most productive seasons were from 88'-95', he avg 24p, 13r, 3a, 2s, 4b on 51% FG! He was dealing with hamstring, knee since 90' and in 95' he injured his back in the off season. He also had an irregular heartbeat

[@Mark-ro3gx]

This video is edited too. Doesnt show Hakeem scoring much on purpose

[@luzaozanetti8874]

Sabonis teaches Hakeem.

[@waratahfilm2350]

Sabonis was much bigger and with a superb technique and wide range shooting skills. Too bad x him that when they met, Sabonis was heavy and slow.

[@user-wv1lp1yc2e]

It’s very hard to see that the center had not be cheated by the dream shake.

[@Gansa707]

I hate nba these days I just hate it :(((

[@gabrielnonato13]

0:36 What a STEALL!

[@BlackEcology]

1980's Sabas (pre-injuries) would absolutely destroy Jokic

[@williammunny9916]

Sabonis didn't have knees at that time, let that sink in.

[@jaycash8a]

Hakeem not used to big guys moving like that 😂

[@antonioamate7294]

Que pena de lesiones medio cojo y Arvidas jugaba de tu a tu con cualquier pivot de su época tremendo jugador el gran SABAS

[@jeremyunderground41]

These 2 along with Vlade Divac are Shaq Stoppers.

[@Diaz23]

When did Vlade stop shaq? Shaq dominated Vlade...Yao Ming over Vlade Divac.

[@jeremyunderground41]

@@Diaz23 2002 West Conference Finals. Watch Sacramento vs Lakers. Shaq was consistently struggling against a faster and More Mobile moving Divac. Both of them are 7'1 tall though. Besides Vlade can pass the ball like a point guard. That's what his former teammate Magic Johnson taught him when Vlade was still in the Lakers. Sacramento Kings almost beat the Lakers there. Something was Off in the Officiating there.

[@bushmastersavimbi3379]

@@jeremyunderground41 Divac faster than Shaq and saying he had problems with slow Vlade hahaha watch again he was barbecue chicken for Shaq

[@ronaldlee7566]

It looks Hakeem Olajuwon got schooled by Arvydas Sabonis.

[@Yugowars]

In europe centers are more hardworking, sabonis have russian game system, but probably best center from east block

[@vladimirzyryanov6048]

Сейчас многие говорят о том, какой уникальный игрок Йокич, но по факту Сабонис во всём лучше Йокича, особенно в защите.

[@saskha70]

это по какому еще "факту"? Ни статистика, ни, тем более, личные достижения этого совершенно никак не показывают. Ни по очкам, ни по подборам, ни по передачам. А эстетика игры - понятие очень субъективное. Если бы не колени, то, возможно, Сабонис и переплюнул бы Йокича и стал бы трехкратным MVP и лидером чемпиона NBA. Но это "бы". Разве что Сабонис стал олимпийским чемпионом, а у Йокича только серебро. Ну так сборная США-1988 еще не была сборной НБА, в 92-м Сабонис с Литвой ей проиграл -51... Арвидас Сабонис - великий игрок, и совершенно не нуждается в выпячивании за счет другого великого игрока.

[@hangtian6025]

同年龄比起来，奥拉朱旺不是赛波尼斯的对手。四大中锋估计只有奥尼尔的绝对力量可以比一下。

[@duanecorey8637]

Sabonis was a unique talent of of size and skill. A genetic freak..............Not taking anything away from him but the NBA even back then was filled with players that won this genetic lottery. Big up Sabonis though. Great Russian player.

[@heinrichollbers]

Lithuanian

[@duanecorey8637]

Lithuanian. My sincere apologies.

[@williammunny9916]

Sabonis didn't have knees at that time, let that sink in.

[@duanecorey8637]

The clips are misleading. Akeem was far more productive. Takes nothing away from the Lithuanian.........but you have to truthfully be honest about what happened in those 7 meetings

[@stevetseitz]

Ralph Sampson as a college player, at Virginia, schooled Sabonis (in his prime). Olajuwon schooled Shaq. Shaq schooled Sabonis. Certain match ups just work better than others.

[@user-jg8cc9co5b]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sITKopiaj5mhpdk Are you reffering to this game about Sampson and Sabonis?? Sabonis was not in his prime he wasn't even 18.

[@diggingmystyle]

Sabonis was an old man when he arrived to the US.

[@stevetseitz]

@@diggingmystyle 100% agree but his game was more refined and he had to get better at parts of the game that didn’t rely on athleticism a la Ron Harper.

[@diggingmystyle]

@scuba steve I agree he would've been an all time great had he arrived at an early age. Today's big men can only dream of having his skills.

[@TheSabonis11]

huh? You mean the game where Sabonis was 17 years old and playing the best big man in the country and outscored Sampson 21 to 13? That game?

[@bida123]

SABONIS THE BEST