I read this article on Hasheem Thabeet reaching out to The Dream for a tutorial on post moves/footwork and it brought a few questions to mind:

-Why didn't any of the Knicks bigs think of the same idea?

-Would Patrick Ewing EVER want to work with our bigs outside of a head coaching position?

-Why is it that Dwight Howards post moves haven't really shown much progress if Ewing is on the Magic to work with him?

-What can we possibly talk about until Game 1?

Olajuwon Works With Grizzlies' Thabeet
Lakers' Bryant also Sought Out Olajuwon
Updated: Sunday, 27 Sep 2009, 2:10 PM CDT
Published : Saturday, 26 Sep 2009, 4:19 PM CDT

MARK BERMAN
HOUSTON - Memphis Grizzlies rookie center Hasheem Thabeet, the second pick in June's NBA Draft out of UCONN, went to a different kind of school Friday and Saturday.

Thabeet and his agents asked Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon for a personal workout and the two got together for a pair of sessions in the Houston area.

Thabeet's goal was to sharpen his skills and tap into the knowledge of one of greatest centers of all-time and who better to work with than Olajuwon.

"It's always a joy for me when a great, potential talent would like to improve their footwork," Olajuwon said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. It's a huge compliment for me that somebody realized the value of their post moves and trying to pattern their game after my game."

Thabeet said getting the opportunity to work with a Hall of Famer like Olajuwon was a dream come true.

"I still watch his tapes," Thabeet said. "He was one of the best players of all-time.

"To spend a couple of hours with him (Friday) and (Saturday), I think it's going to help me a lot. He taught me a lot of stuff that I never thought of."

Olajuwon made a miraculous journey from his home country of Nigeria to the top of the world of basketball.

Like Olajuwon, Thabeet is also from the Continent of Africa. He is working toward making a similar journey from his home country of Tanzania.

He wants to follow in Olajuwon's footsteps with hopes of having similar results.

"Just come out here and work hard, that's what he did," Thabeet said. "He came out here for school and ended up having a great career.

"He's one of idols. I'm going to work hard. I believe anything can happen. I believe I can always make it as long as I work hard."

Olajuwon understands why Thabeet looks up to him.

"It's natural," Olajuwon said. "We play the same position. He's a big guy, a real big guy.

"It's great (for him) to see somebody who has traveled that path before and also he can benefit a lot from that person.

"I think it's a win-win situation. I think it's an obligation."

The giving of his time and basketball knowledge to men like Thabeet is Olajuwon's way of giving back to the game.

"It's part of my responsibility," Olajuwon said. "If somebody reaches out to you and you know you have that to offer and you know (he) can benefit so much from that."

Olajuwon is one of the few big men in NBA history whose game centered around finesse and power. It was a style that helped Olajuwon lead the Rockets to a pair of NBA titles in the mid-90's.

Olajuwon believes Thabeet can develop a similar style of play.

"Right now he's a shot-blocker," Olajuwon said. "That's instinctive. You don't teach that.

"The defensive part of the game, he can be a force already"

But Olajuwon said he doesn't want to see Thabeet be limited to just being a defensive player.

"He has a tremendous opportunity to be an offensive player because of his height advantage (7'3), his skills," Olajuwon said. "He runs the floor.

"He's agile. "

Olajuwon believes the sky is the limit for Thabeet.

"Right now he has the opportunity to be whatever," Olajuwon said. "Because he's unique to have that kind of size and that touch."

Thabeet is thrilled with Olajuwon's compliments.

"It means a lot to me," Thabeet said. "He comes from the same background as me. He definitley knows what it takes to get there."

Olajuwon has worked with three other current NBA players including Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and New Orleans Hornets center Emeka Okafor.

Monday Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant was in Houston for a two-hour workout with Olajuwon.

Olajuwon said Bryant reached out to him for help with his moves in the post.

"He gave me the biggest compliment," Olajuwon said. "(He said) You are the best (at the) mid-post and post move.

"He wanted me to show my moves to him."

Olajuwon said his style of play in the paint is really suited for a guy like Bryant.

"In my mind most of my moves for a guy (with) that agility can use it better than the big guy," Olajuwon said. "Because my moves are not really for the big guy.

"It's for the guards and small forwards. So he would benefit most on the post because of his agility.

"It was so much fun because how he picks it up. I worked with him for two hours, step by step."

Olajuwon expects Bryant to be even better than he was last season when he led the Lakers to the NBA Championship.

"Adding those moves to his game, watch out for him this year," Olajuwon said. "I understand his dedication. His desire to win and stay on top.

"That's what I respect most about him."

By the way, Olajuwon said he would never have held one-on-one sessions like this if he was still playing.

"You don't want to give them your secrets," Olajuwon said.

Dude, Thabeet is two years away from being three years away. One weekend with Olajuwon ain't changing that although it was smart of him to seek Olajuwon out. Thabeet has no offensive instincts. Moreover, even his defensive instincts seem slow to me. I think his ceiling is Diop, and he is three years away from reaching that level.