Hakeem Olajuwon’s place in NBA history is secure, but for Victor Oladipo, “The Dream” meant something a little more personal.
In a letter for The Player’s Tribune, the two-time All-Star shared a family story that started long before his own pro career. Back in 1992, Oladipo wrote, his mother - then pregnant with twins - had a dream that Olajuwon signed a basketball for her.
She took it as a sign that one of her sons would grow up to play the game. More than two decades later, that moment came full circle on draft night.
Oladipo described the scene at the 2013 NBA Draft, when he went No. 2 overall.
“And my mom, she’s standing there with this strange expression on her face. Almost frantic… It’s Hakeem Olajuwon.
He was there because this was David Stern’s last draft as commissioner, and Hakeem was the first pick that Stern ever announced - so they brought him back to help celebrate… And of course she told Hakeem about her dream. And he autographed a basketball for her, just like she dreamt he did.”
For a player from a family of Nigerian immigrants, and for a Hall of Fame center born in Nigeria, the connection carried real meaning at the start of Oladipo’s NBA journey.
Oladipo has since played for the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat. His best stretch came in Indiana, where he spent four years and finished 13th in MVP voting for the 2017-2018 season.
He was viewed as one of the league’s top players in 2018, but injuries quickly changed the path of his career. Over the past five years, he has appeared in fewer than 100 regular-season games, and he has not been on an NBA roster since 2023.
Now 34, Oladipo remains a free agent with training camp approaching. Last season, he averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game for the Wisconsin Herd, the Milwaukee Bucks’ G-League affiliate.
That recent G-League stint leaves the door open for another NBA shot, even if some teams may not be in position to make that move. Houston’s front office, with Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, and Marcus Smart in the backcourt mix, may be less likely to come calling.
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