Though Abdullah Olajuwon’s time in the Philippines may be over for now, it is an experience he will fondly look back on.
The son of two-time NBA champion Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, Abdullah showed that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, averaging 18 points and four rebounds in his two games this window.
Although Jordan lost to both the Philippines and Australia this weekend, Olajuwon could not have felt happier to play in an environment like the one he experienced during Friday’s Gilas Pilipinas game.
“Phenomenal experience. I loved the energy there — it was my first time playing in front of that many people, my first time in the Philippines. I loved the energy, I loved every minute I played,” said the 6-foot-4 guard.
Only 22 years old, the Al-Faisaly guard feels no pressure to carry his father’s legacy, choosing instead to forge his own path — something his father would be the first to encourage.
“My last name? My dad never even pressed me to play basketball. He said, ‘If you want to, you want to. If you don’t, you don’t. So it’s your choice.’ So after that, I never really felt any pressure,” Olajuwon shared.
Hakeem also shared stories of his own experience in the Philippines with his son, which only heightened Abdullah’s anticipation of visiting the country.
“He showed me a picture when he first came to the Philippines and how, like, everybody just attacked the car. I thought that was pretty cool,” he said.
“As soon as we came, from the border, I gave my passport, and the guy already recognized my dad so I see how big of an impact he has on the Philippine world.”
Beyond his famous lineage, Olajuwon also takes pride in his heritage as a proud Jordanian. Having grown up in the Middle Eastern nation, he credits his fellow countrymen and the culture he grew up in for helping him handle whatever pressure comes his way.
“I mean, I was born in Jordan, I grew up in Jordan for 10 years. I’m used to the culture, I speak Arabic, I’m used to the people there. They’re very welcoming, not a lot of pressure,” he concluded.
Jordan and the Philippines will face off once again in Manila on February 27 next year in the final window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
