Bill Simmons linked to this video, and a whole host of impressions cascaded over me:
First of all, I miss Hakeem! Watching him explain to Dwight, in a kind of muffled cryptology about some moves to try, he'd demonstrate them himself, and they're still shockingly sweet to watch. What he did with that dream shake is pretty tough to teach. He'd say something like "Dwight, you move your feet like this". And you'd think "Hunh, that doesn't sound like much, I bet I could even do that." And then he'd do it himself, and visions of David Robinson came twirling through my head. There just isn't any big man in the game like that any more. Dwight was being attentive, and even doing a good job of following direction, but he's like a big block of wood where Hakeem was a panther. It almost looked like he could fake a guy out by just rippling a pectoral muscle. And seeing the two of them together, Dwight joking, and then celebrating himself after a particularly nice move, you are reminded again of Hakeem's purity of presence on the court. Look at all the ex-stars of his era...Jordan mired in divorces, bad basketball management, a terrible hall of fame speech, gambling. Charles Barkley ballooning into a caricature of himself. Isaiah leaving paths of destruction and scandal through the Knicks, etc. Have we ever heard one bad or scandalous or even mildly annoying thing about Hakeem? Ever? The only quotes I remember are things like Mario Elie saying "Every guy in this locker room would walk through a brick wall for that guy."
Not to say Dwight is the ultimate contrast with him. Hakeem started out a bit of a hothead, and didn't become the devastating offensive player we know now until the second half of his career. Dwight isn't a hothead, but he's a goof. I imagine one or two more undressings by the Celtics or Lakers might cure him of that too. Or maybe he'll do his own DECISION and get everyone mad at him and then get mad and then we'll be mad cause now he's mad at us for being mad about him being mad and then use that anger to drive himself to greatness. Either way, it's hard to know if going to this camp with Hakeem signals a new dedication to the sport, but it was hard not to respect HIS respect for The Dream. And he did make some pretty sweet jumpers in that video. As I've always said, and I'm sure Hakeem pounded into his head, make three jumpers per game, and no one will ever be able to stop you again. That's what's so tantalizing and frustrating about that guy. He still gets 20 points, 13 rebounds basically with one arm tied behind his back.
I know you dislike Orlando, Dino, but I actually am always pulling for Dwight to evolve like Hakeem, because basically he's got the same team around him that Hakeem did. If he could play otherworldly like that, quadruple doubles and shit, they would have the perfect Rockets redux. The point guard who's not really a point guard. Three point shooters. Dirty work guys. Rashard Lewis is basically Robert Horry without quite the hops. Maybe after walking in the shadow of the dream, he'll have inhaled enough of the fumes of greatness to go there himself.
Also, by the way, Free Darko is doing an entire week of celebrating the '94-'95 Rockets! Each writer doing a different take on Hakeem's world. I haven't had a chance to plunge all the way through, but it's enough to make you drool...
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