Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon (drafted in '84)
I am choosing his '93-'94 campaign which is the only time a player has won MVP, DPOY, and finals MVP in history. Additionally, this was perhaps the most impressive shouldering of a championship by an individual ever as he was the only All-Star or All-NBA player.
27.3 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 3.7 BPG, 3.6 APG, 1.8 SPG
In this era, he definitively conquered Shaquille O'Neal (likely the only player to head-to-head), David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, and more. He is the ultimate 2-way player, being the GOAT in the post and at protecting the rim (not to mention being very switchable defensively, and I would argue his GOAT-ness extends to most skilled defensive player altogether as well [though that argument is less clear than the non-parenthetical assertions]).
ADENDUM:
Take it from the dudes he played with and against.
He didn't just guard or score in the post. He worked rim to at least 20-feet out on both sides of the ball. He was strong enough to check Shaq but his strength came from his agility, and his athleticism might get lost to history, sometimes being caught with his head near the rim. He was unusually effective as a ballhawk for a center (averaging nearly 2 SPG over his career and finishing top-10 all-time, the next center on the list being at 59), being particularly proficient at deflections on post-entry passes. He had range to 20-feet shooting above 40% on those shots, in addition to a strong face-up and dribble-drive game that caused MJ to call him a '7-foot guard'.
Here's a really good analysis that doesn't ignore the warts he did have, notably interior passing, despite becoming a good passer on kickouts (which is why I think pairing him with other post-players or perimeter players that thrive off cuts is not maximizing.) This analysis starts with him blocking a potential game-winning three in an elimination game in the finals to demonstrate what we're really dealing with regarding his general perimeter abilities.
I am choosing his '93-'94 campaign which is the only time a player has won MVP, DPOY, and finals MVP in history. Additionally, this was perhaps the most impressive shouldering of a championship by an individual ever as he was the only All-Star or All-NBA player.
27.3 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 3.7 BPG, 3.6 APG, 1.8 SPG
In this era, he definitively conquered Shaquille O'Neal (likely the only player to head-to-head), David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, and more. He is the ultimate 2-way player, being the GOAT in the post and at protecting the rim (not to mention being very switchable defensively, and I would argue his GOAT-ness extends to most skilled defensive player altogether as well [though that argument is less clear than the non-parenthetical assertions]).
ADENDUM:
Take it from the dudes he played with and against.
He didn't just guard or score in the post. He worked rim to at least 20-feet out on both sides of the ball. He was strong enough to check Shaq but his strength came from his agility, and his athleticism might get lost to history, sometimes being caught with his head near the rim. He was unusually effective as a ballhawk for a center (averaging nearly 2 SPG over his career and finishing top-10 all-time, the next center on the list being at 59), being particularly proficient at deflections on post-entry passes. He had range to 20-feet shooting above 40% on those shots, in addition to a strong face-up and dribble-drive game that caused MJ to call him a '7-foot guard'.
Here's a really good analysis that doesn't ignore the warts he did have, notably interior passing, despite becoming a good passer on kickouts (which is why I think pairing him with other post-players or perimeter players that thrive off cuts is not maximizing.) This analysis starts with him blocking a potential game-winning three in an elimination game in the finals to demonstrate what we're really dealing with regarding his general perimeter abilities.
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