Sam Cassell Tells The Story Of When Hakeem Olajuwon Schooled Him: "Son, Preseason Don’t Count, The Popcorn Is Popping Now. Pre-season Stat Sheets Don’t Send To New York. Regular-Season Stat Sheets Do."

“In my rookie year, we go 0-7 in the preseason,” Cassell said on Point God with Baron Davis. “We lose by 40 to GP [Gary Payton] and Seattle [Supersonics]. I remember calling my boy and saying, man, Hakeem Olajuwon, sorry as s–t. He was 3-12 and only got 3 rebounds in 15 minutes. He got 3 rebounds, not knowing veterans didn’t take preseason serious[ly], they used the preseason to get in shape. [Because] Back then, the preseason was a full month.”

Once the regular season started, things changed for the center and point guard. Olajuwon taught Cassell a lesson that he still remembers; some games will take you further than others. 

“Opening night comes, we play the Golden State Warriors; Hakeem Olajuwon is out there handling his business!,” he recalled. “I’m sitting back, saying, where did this come from? Why didn’t he do this in the pre-season? I mean he gave those boys the business. He comes out of the game, I say ‘way to work Dream.’ He says, ‘Son, preseason don’t count, the popcorn is popping now. Pre-season stat sheets?, they don’t send to New York, these stats sheets, they send to New York.’ He put on a show. He had like 37 and 15 in 3 quarters.”

Olajuwon is really one of the greatest ever, and this shows how incredible he was when he put in the work. Cassell knew he had a big leader in Hakeem and confirmed that in the next two seasons, winning back-to-back championships with one of the most surprising teams in NBA history.