USA/NGR – Olajuwon: ‘The U.S. has to bring their very best to win’

Watch the video interview of Hakeem Olajuwon on fibatv.com.

ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - The presence of Hakeem Olajuwon at the recent 2010 FIBA World Championship draw caused a real buzz in Istanbul.
 
Olajuwon, a Nigerian, moved to the United States and had a long and distinguished basketball career.
 
He was an All-American center with the Houston Cougars and then played for many years with the Houston Rockets.
 
Olajuwon also represented the United States at the 1996 Olympic Games.
 
After taking part in the draw in the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, the 46-year-old Olajuwon spoke to FIBA.Com.
 
Hakeem, seeing you up on stage brought back a lot of memories as to what you have meant for international basketball. Tell us about your thoughts and emotions after helping out with the draw.
 
Olajuwon: It was a great honor for me just to be a part of it, especially when you know how these countries play. Just to decide which group they are in was a great honor for me.
 
How much has the game changed in internationally since you left Nigeria long ago for the United States?
 
Olajuwon: The game has grown so much. The awareness of basketball globally is just unbelievable. Before it was a small group of people that loved the game. But now, to see it in the mainstream, you start to appreciate the level of basketball and the beauty of basketball. And just to be a part of it is an honor for me.
 
Africa has given the world a lot of great players but its basketball teams do not receive as much attention as those of other countries. Do you think Angola, Ivory Coast and Tunisia have a chance of making an impact at next year’s FIBA World Championship in Turkey?
 
Olajuwon: Just winning the African Championship (Afrobasket) is a great honor. For them to play against the best in the world is a huge accomplishment. But as you know in basketball, there is great respect for some countries like the U.S. and it's an honor for the African nations just to play against them to see how they measure up. So I think they participate to win, but just being there is good for them.
 
You have played for the United States, who pretty much used to rule world basketball. Now there are teams that can challenge them. Lithuania almost upset Team USA at the Sydney Olympics, while Argentina won the Olympic gold in Athens four years later. Spain won the world title in 2006 and the former Yugoslavia twice before that. Spain pushed an awesome Team USA to the limit at the Beijing Games. What does that say about the game?
 
Olajuwon: As you know, after losing a couple of games, it was a wake-up call (for the U.S.) while also being great encouragement for the rest of the countries. They have a chance. So the U.S. has to send their best to win. That just shows the level of basketball development globally, that they really can win. The basketball team in the U.S. really has to prepare and bring their very best to win. And that's what makes it a World Championship.