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Hakeem's big risk

When you've spent the past 23 years living in Houston, Toronto might seem a lot more like Nome, Alaska than "The Great Canadian City." Hopefully, this is something Hakeem Olajuwon has considered, as he makes his move from the Rockets to the Raptors.

I come to you as someone who has a great deal of respect for Hakeem, and that is why I am scared. The man has scrambled eggs for knees. There's also the blood clots, the asthma, the irregular heartbeat. Yes, Hakeem is 38 and has experienced problems with the ticker.

Something else to consider -- these type of end-of-career migrations rarely work. Just look at Patrick Ewing last year in Seattle. And who can remember that Dave Cowens ended his Hall of Fame career in Milwaukee? Certainly not most of us, as Cowens played in just 40 games for the Bucks and averaged a measly eight points.

To me, Olajuwon was the best of the post-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar centers. More mobile than Ewing, more aggressive than Robinson, more fluid than Shaq. Olajuwon has also been to the NBA Finals three times, winning back-to-back titles in the mid-1990s. What, pray tell, is left to prove?

Look, it's not for me to say how Hakeem Olajuwon should be conducting his life. But I have experienced the ugly side of athletics. We all have. At some point, someone tells us that we are no longer needed or wanted. They tell us we're not good enough. Sometimes, it's our bodies doing the talking. Other times, it's the people who used to say that we were oh-so-great.

The first thing that comes to mind? Revenge. We want to prove our skeptics wrong. No less than Michael Jordan may currently be going through the same thing, although it is my belief that he simply misses being on the court.

Anyway, it seems as if the Rockets have said, "Thanks for 17 years of wonderful service, Hakeem. Thanks for the championships. Now can we please both get on with our lives?" These are the type of hints that people in any profession have a hard time dealing with -- especially professional athletes, who are coddled from the moment they step on the playing field. To be told they need to make room for the more talented -- and maybe the more beloved -- is devastating.

There are plenty of other things that could make Olajuwon happy. Become a coach. Buy a team. Go to the beach and drink iced tea for the next 55 years. Heck, start your own NBA e-mail newsletter.

Having said all of that, I hope it works out for Olajuwon, the Raptors, the Rockets, for everyone involved. I hope Olajuwon can stay healthy and bring a much-needed presence-in-the-middle to the Eastern Conference. I even hope that Olajuwon is able to fulfill his new contract by playing two more seasons, and that he proves to be an awesome bargain. Really, I do.

But I also hope he's not playing for the wrong reasons. I hope he's not playing just because no one has the guts to tell him it's time to quit.

A LOOK BACK

They say it takes three to four years before you can judge a draft pick. With all the talk about the overabundance of early-entry candidates in recent years, I couldn't help but pull out the NBA Encyclopedia to see how the youngsters of the 1997 and '98 drafts have fared.

So, here are some thoughts on the early-entry players of yesteryear:

1997

-- Tony Battie, Texas Tech. Was the No. 5 overall pick by the Denver Nuggets. Not a very wise move, especially when you consider the Nuggets passed on another underclassmen, high schooler Tracy McGrady.

-- Chauncey Billups, Colorado. Was the No. 3 overall pick by the Boston Celtics. At first it looked as if Billups might become something special. Now he appears to have become a career backup who could have used a few more seasons at the collegiate level.

-- Tony Doyle, Columbia. Not drafted. Ever heard of this guy? Apparently, neither did most NBA general managers, who not only didn't draft Doyle, but not one invited him to join their summer league team. Would think an Ivy Leaguer would have been smarter.

-- The Good: McGrady, Tim Thomas, Ron Mercer, Maurice Taylor.

-- The Bad: Battie, Gordon Malone, God Shammgod, James Cotton, Mark Young.

-- The Jury's Still Out: Billups, Mark Blount, Danny Fortson, Adonal Foyle, Marc Jackson.

1998

-- Jason Williams, Florida, and Larry Hughes, St. Louis. Williams went seventh to Sacramento, Hughes eighth to Philadelphia. Is it any coincidence that two of the most overrated, out-of-control players in the game were drafted back-to-back?

-- Ricky Davis, Iowa. Selected with the No. 21 pick by the Charlotte Hornets. Has anyone ever even heard of this guy? I mean, honestly, I follow the NBA pretty closely, and I don't ever once recall hearing, "Now entering the game ... Ricky Davis."

-- Corey Benjamin, Oregon State. Selected with the No. 28 pick by the Chicago Bulls. One of the most talented and exciting collegians I have ever seen play. Doesn't seem to have gotten much of a shot in the pros. Most GMs felt he could have used another year in school.

-- The Good: Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Mike Bibby, Paul Pierce.

-- The Bad: Davis, Rafer Alston, Jerome James, Jelani McCoy, Robert Traylor, Korleone Young, Tremaine Fowlkes.

-- The Jury's Still Out: Williams, Hughes, Benjamin, Lee Nailon, Tyronn Lue, Rashard Lewis, Al Harrington.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

FROM JUSTIN McCANN

Q: Are you employed by the NBA? It seems as if you are outright promoting the players, most of whom come across as nothing more than overpaid, tattooed, gangsta-wannabe thugs who have little idea how the game should actually be played. These guys are always in the police blotter, something you seem to constantly and purposefully overlook. How much does the league pay you? Can I get in on it?

A: Dear Justin, don't really know what you're talking about, don't really care. I sure as heck had no idea that NBA players wanted to be gangstas, or that they're always in the police blotter. Probably because I am not the least bit concerned with how the players conduct their personal lives. All I care about is what I see on the court, period. Or maybe it's because I am not frightened by tattoos, cornrows, or even Scot Pollard.

I have become a firm believer that too many reporters make up for their lack of knowledge about the actual game by writing/talking about the players' backgrounds and current lifestyles. The "Allen Iverson is Married in Secrecy" stories in recent weeks were some of the most embarrassing things I have ever read. I have a lot more respect for so-called gangsta hoopsta Allen Iverson than I do for the middle-aged, non-athletic types who wrote those articles. Leave the poor guy alone already. Better yet, just stop judging people.

And are the athletes really overpaid? You don't think the owners are fairly certain that they will get every last dollar back -- or at least something close -- from their investments? The guys who run NBA teams are longtime and extremely successful businessmen. If they pay someone $120 million, it's because they think that individual will bring a $240-million return to their company.

I'm not trying to ignore the fact that there are some on-the-court issues involving a FEW of the players. I don't enjoy watching Rasheed Wallace compile four technicals every game. I don't think the league has a true superstar -- but that's just a phase. And I definitely don't enjoy watching players who ought to be starring in college wilt at the end of NBA benches.

But there are plenty of things to like about the league. Most of the players, despite all the labels placed on them, are good guys. Most of them really want to win and aren't worried about their contract when they're on the court. So if you want the NBA version of Behind The Music, go somewhere else. I am not going to sit here and trash people. It's gutless and cheap.

FROM MIKE JESEP

Q: Who do you think came out on top in the recent trade between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Philadelphia 76ers?

A: In my never-ending quest to promote the NBA (see above question), I would have to call the trade a draw. By that, I mean it should be good for both teams. I like Matt Harpring for the Sixers, and I really like Jumaine Jones for the Cavs. Those were actually the two key players in the deal, as Tyrone Hill, Robert Traylor, and Cedric Henderson will most likely continue to be frustrations for their new club.

So, in analyzing this trade, two thoughts make me excited. 1) The idea of the ultra-athletic Jones joining the even-more athletic Jeff Trepagnier off the Cavs bench; and 2) Harpring crashing to the floor and defending in the Sixers' already-tough backcourt.

FROM MEGHAN HORN

Q: What do think about the Miami Heat's signing of Kendall Gill?

A: Not much. A 33-year-old with bad knees (and who played in just 31 games last season) rarely excites me. But the Heaters could have done worse, I suppose. At least they never drafted Ricky Davis.

FROM JEFF HARTER

Q: Who do you think are the five greatest players of all time? How about the five best currently playing?

A: The five greatest: 1. Michael Jordan; 2. Wilt Chamberlain; 3. Magic Johnson; 4. Larry Bird; 5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The five current best: 1. Shaquille O' Neal; 2. Allen Iverson; 3. Tim Duncan; 4. Kevin Garnett; 5. Vince Carter. (By the way, this list changes should Jordan come back).

SAM'S SLAMS

Forward Chris Gatling is not expected to re-sign with the Cavs, which means he'll be suiting up for his ninth team in the last six seasons. The fact that Gatling has played for so many teams, of course, is not to suggest that he is a team player. ... Bob Ryan's latest column in the Basketball Times says everything I desperately tried to say about high schoolers entering the NBA draft. There's a reason Ryan writes for the Boston Globe and I do this. ... Did you know that the Houston Rockets did not lose to a Central Division team last season. Anybody out there still not think the West is the tougher conference? ... Cleveland-area newspapers are reporting that the Cavs will make a bid for Boston free-agent guard Bryant Stith. ... Opening night is less than 90 days away. I am really trying to contain myself. In the meantime, maybe I should get some professional help.