One of the most very best/least consequential storylines in all of sports activities is of the large guy who is going to Hakeem Olajuwon’s Dream Shake academy to be informed one of the vital deadly, and unteachable, strikes within the historical past of the NBA. At $50,000 a consultation, it’s as just about a Ponzi scheme as you’re going to get with out it technically being unlawful. It’s like asking Dr. J to show you that up-and-under, behind-the-backboard, opposite finger roll he did towards the Los Angeles Lakers within the NBA Finals as though it’s even imaginable.
So when Gilbert Arenas went on his podcast the place he yells at a digital camera to trash the Houston Rockets Corridor of Famer for overcharging, he’s (in part) proper.
I didn’t watch it, however some breaking information author at SI did, and transcribed probably the most salacious phase, so if you happen to’re into sizzling takes, however now not transferring footage with sound, right here’s what Arenas stated.
“No one desires the Hakeem Olajuwon skyhook. No one desires none of that sh*t. …You must feel embarrassment about your self, charging those younger whippersnappers $50,000. While you got here within the league in 1984, you wasn’t even making $50,000 a sport. You’re seeking to make your month again in the course of the adolescence! Don’t fee those boys 50 f*cking grand for that blush*t. He ain’t been excellent for the reason that ’90s. That suggests all of the strikes from the 2000s, he don’t know. 2010s, he don’t know. 2020s, he don’t know. Who the f*ck you gonna do the strikes on? Wembanyama?”
I’m now not positive why Arenas, who has been beside the point for handiest fairly much less time than Olajuwon, would knock a former participant’s hustle, particularly, as he identified, with what NBA avid gamers used to make. Hakeem is 2, 3, 4, 5, six occasions the hooper that Arenas was once, and but Agent 0 out-earned the Dream for his or her careers, $163 million to $97 million.
Additionally, it’s now not a “skyhook,” and if any of those fresh bigs had a tenth of the footwork that Olajuwon did, the low-post sport wouldn’t be on existence beef up. Victor Wembanyama can be unguardable if he evolved a little bit faceup, shake motion within the 15 toes and below vary, however no, let the fellow who’s 7-foot-5 dribble out at the perimeter, and shoot 3s.
Hell, if high Olajuwon was once within the league nowadays, he’d head up one of the vital harmful defensive devices possible together with his mixture of agility, period, and quickness. And lest we put out of your mind, Hakeem did have vary, he simply opted to curl facilities like Shaq and Patrick Ewing into pretzels at the block.
The “younger whippersnappers” Arenas referred to are getting record-breaking contracts, and feature greater than sufficient cash to splurge. Even though this is a pipedream, a minimum of the $50,000 goes towards on-court development, and now not a gold-plated wilderness eagle.
If Gilbert had any mind serve as, he’d consider, and fee exorbitant charges to be a taking pictures trainer. This is a extra helpful talent on this generation of basketball, and for sure extra of a contribution to the sport than the Gilbert Arenas vlog.
