4 of the most collectible Hakeem Olajuwon cards
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It's funny how things work out - the mighty big man nicknamed "The Dream" lives the American Dream playing an uniquely American born sport - basketball. One of the most dominant big men to ever play the game, Olajuwon came over from Nigeria and terrorized other centers during his career. He didn't even start playing basketball until he was 15! He had unbelievable stats for a late bloomer - an MVP, two championships and was a 12 time All Star. Compared to other basketball greats, his cards are a relative bargain but are still popular.
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FLEER 1986 AKEEM OLAJUWON
Olajuwon has a card in the Star set released in 1984, but like a certain other player whose initials are MJ, Olajuwon's widely accepted official rookie card is his 1986 Fleer, despite being released two years after the Star card. Note the original spelling of his first name, which would later be changed to "Hakeem". You gotta love the matching knee-pads as well.
SKYBOX AUTOGRAPHICS 1996 HAKEEM OLAJUWON
Skybox "Autographics" subset is still iconic for basketball collectors almost thirty years later. It was definitely one of the most popular signed card sets of the 90s. One interesting fact about Olajuwon's signed card - they are all signed in blue ink. Blue was supposed to signify the limited parallel version but Olajuwon signed them all in blue.
UPPER DECK GAME JERSEY 1997 HAKEEM OLAJUWON
RELATED: Top Cards of Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon
This type of insert card - with a swatch of game used jersey - is commonplace these days, but back in 1997 it was a sensation. These cards are still a massive hit with collectors, primarily for nostalgia but also because of what the cards signified back then - a bold jump into relic cards which would transform the sports card hobby.
Olajuwon hasn't been overlooked in the high-end space. One great example is his card within the "Limited Logos" subset of 2004's Exquisite Collection product. A fantastic patch is dead-center with a crisp blue autograph underneath.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.