It is Friday afternoon and I"m on my way down to Toyota Center to do a live shot prior to the Rockets big game with the Suns. The contest has all sorts of playoff implications depending on who wins or who loses as far as that goes. But that might not be the big story of the night.

At about 6:15, the Rockets are unveiling a bronze statue of Hakeem "the Dream" Olajuwon out in front of Toyota Center, the only former player to be so recognized and why not! Just sitting here writing this brings a smile to my face thinking how great he was in his prime. He did things no center in the history of the game could do. The "Dream Shake" was unstoppable to go along with the grace and fluid motions of someone who is 6"11" and really played like someone six feet tall. He could run the court, finish fast breaks in style, block shots with his quickness and timing. It was so amazing! He ended up being the all time shot blocker in the NBA in fact had more blocked shots than turnovers.

I'll never forget how he treated the Spurs David Robinson on his way to leading the Rockets to their second World Champioinship. Robinson was an incredible athlete himself but Hakeem twisted and turned him around like a top.

He was just voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and that will be a wonderful honor for him but we who have watched him from his days at U of H to his run with the Rockets have visions of plays he has made we may never see again. But we can always DREAM about what we've seen!

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