Hakeem Olajuwon and Tim Duncan are largely interchangeable in most rankings of the greatest big men to ever play the game, but one former player who was teammates with both of them certainly doesn’t think so.
Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry appeared on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Monday and said that Olajuwon was “20 times better” than Duncan.
“I played with both,” said Horry. “I’ve seen the work ethic of both. I’ve seen it live … I’ve seen the two guys in the gym. I know what Dream brought to practice. I know what Tim brought to practice. I know Tim, he brought work ethic to practice, but it’s an extra level. To be a superstar, you have to go that extra level. I’m not saying that Tim’s not a superstar, but I’m saying what Dream brought to the game is amazing.
“I don’t think people understand how good Olajuwon was,” he went on. “I always tell people you judge a player by what they cannot do. Who would you want at the free throw line at the end of a game: Dream or Tim Duncan?”
It’s really a matter of pick your poison. Olajuwon was the more physically dominant and versatile player, while Duncan was more fundamentally sound and a better leader. Both are all-timers who were more than capable of being the alpha dog on a title team, so despite Horry’s fondness for hot takes, there probably isn’t a wrong answer between the two legends.
H/T NBA Reddit
