Greatest Basketball Players - Hakeem Olajuwon - University of Houston Cougars

Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Hakeem Olajuwon Born in Nigeria in 1963, it was not until 1980 that Hakeem Olajuwon would move to the United States. Obviously playing in Nigeria, there was not heavy U.S. college recruiting being done, however, after Guy Lewis, coach of University of Houston heard about Olajuwon’s power and skill, he was recruited to be a Cougar. In his freshman year, Olajuwon practiced with the team, however did not receive much playing time. After an off-season spent playing and training with NBA legend Moses Malone, Olajuwon would become a different player and a leader at University of Houston.