From the 1980s to the 1990s, Michael Jordan reigned supreme in the world of basketball. A dominant two-way force who in one year won both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, the Chicago Bulls legend faced off against some of the greatest players of all-time and ended up conquering them all.
The likes of Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns, and John Stockton and the Utah Jazz, are just some of the Hall of Fame stars and teams that were knocked off by Jordan year after year. Considering that he won six NBA titles and six league MVP awards in the 1990s, it's fair to say not many had a look in during that period, with Jordan always stepping up in the playoffs when the championship was on the line.
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|Michael Jordan's Career Stats|
|Stat|Number|
|Points per game|30.1|
|Assists per game|5.3|
|Rebounds per game|6.2|
|Steals per game|2.3|
|Blocks per game|0.8|
|MVP|5|
|Finals MVP|6|
|NBA titles|6|
|---|
But while Jordan would continue to carve out his era-defining legacy, it appears there was one NBA star who the Bulls icon was slightly intimidated by when coming up against him.
The NBA Star Michael Jordan Was "Scared" Of
Michael Jordan-1
According to Robert Horry - a former rival of Jordan and one of the most clutch players in NBA history - MJ did admit that there was only one star he was ever scared of.
People who are Chicago Bulls fans, I know this question comes up a lot. They always wonder, those two championships that we won in Houston, would we have won them if Michael Jordan had been playing? The answer to that question is yes, because they couldn't stop Olajuwon.
If you ask Michael Jordan what one guy he ever feared, it was Hakeem Olajuwon. He used to say, 'I'm scared of the big African.' Because [Hakeem is] from Nigeria. We might not be able to stop Jordan, but they couldn't stop Olajuwon.
Why Michael Jordan Feared Hakeem Olajuwon
Given his confidence and self-assurance, it is somewhat surprising to hear that Jordan was "scared" of another NBA player, but when you consider the kind of Hall of Fame career Olajuwon enjoyed, you can see why.
The Houston Rockets legend was instrumental in leading his franchise to two successive NBA titles, winning Finals MVP on both occasions. A stupendous shot blocker, Olajuwon's 'Dream Shake' move in the post made him an absolute nightmare to guard against too, with his footwork for a 7-footer simply incredible to see.
Hakeem Olajuwon's Career Stats
Stat
Points per game
Assists per game
Rebounds per game
Steals per game
Blocks per game
Career awards
NBA titles
Jordan himself has previously spoken highly about Olajuwon and his credentials, declaring: "Olajuwon, he was in the top 10 in five categories: steals, rebounds, blocked shots, scoring, and shooting percentage. To have a big guy of his size to be in the top 10 in steals, you would assume that he would be in blocks, which to me showed versatility and what type of guy he really was."
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In the 23 regular season games that Jordan would face off against Olajuwon, it was the Rockets center who came out on top, winning 13 of those contests. The Nigerian-born star averaged a 20-point double-double in those games, including registering 3.3 blocks per game and shooting over 50% from the field. While Jordan didn't exactly falter himself - he averaged over 30 PPG - he would shoot just 46.8% from the field, with Olajuwon's presence in the paint a major force to be contended with.
One of the greatest centers of all-time, Olajuwon led the league in rebounding in back-to-back seasons in 1989 and 1990, while he was also the player with the most blocks on three occasions (1990, 1991 and 1993). Olajuwon was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008, capping off a legendary NBA career that quite clearly had even the very best basketball players of all-time scared to even play against him.