Barkley called him "an honorable man." We would never argue with Sir Charles.

He is the most agile center to ever play the game of basketball. He has won two world championships and a gold medal. He's been MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP. He owns nearly every Rockets record and the NBA record for blocked shots. The accolades go on and on.

In an age of high-flying acrobatics and in-your-face dunks, Hakeem is a throwback to a different time. Oh, sure, he had his elbow-throwing moments. He too used to tell people to "get that weak stuff outta here," when he sent an opponent's shot sailing into the stands. Yes, even the stately gentleman Rocket was once a fiery young hot head. With time and experience, The Dream grew into a nightmare for the rest of the league.

I was fortunate enough to see "Akeem" play as part of the fabled Phi Slamma Jamma at the University of Houston. The young Nigerian kid who fell out of a taxi and into the lap of Guy V. Lewis went from a complete unknown to a terror in the NCAA. With Young, Drexler, Micheaux, Olajuwon and the rest, UH became a top 10 team making it to the final four twice, losing once to Patrick Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas and in a heart-breaker to Jim Valvano's underdog NC State team. I cried like a baby when that buzzer beater went in.

After college, Houston continued its lucky streak and won a coin flip that netted Olajuwon in the draft. The Rockets had no idea what they were getting. Olajuwon was raw and tough. He heaved elbows around, blocked shots and dunked over people. The twin towers ran over the league but came up short in the finals to Boston. The playoffs gave Olajuwon the experience and savvy that would prove valuable later.

I remember listening to those finals on the way to a weekly bass guitar lesson in my beat up Datsun B-210. It was an orange four-door that was jacked up in the back, had no air conditioning and a radio that barely worked. It broke down on the way to my lesson and I stood in the drizzling rain and waited for my dad. Fortunately, it wasn't the battery and I could still listen to the game. Even when my dad was there working on the car, I spent most of my time inside the car listening and yelling. I cursed Larry Bird and hung on every shot. My drenched father was thrilled.

It wasn't long after that when a former Rocket player took over as coach and taught Olajuwon the value of teammates. Until then, Akeem was a black hole in the post. He had even been referred to as selfish and, at times, dirty. The maturity inspired by Rudy T. and "Hakeem's" new found faith in Islam, however, focused Olajuwon's talents and led him to trust the other players on the floor in a way we had never seen before. In addition, he replaced his antics with graceful skill and a kind of calm that made him peaceful when pressure got the best of others.

Suddenly, the Rockets went from a loose, mis-managed crew to a tight family led by the Dream. He learned how to pass out of the double-team, which teams were forced to employ on him. He led the team in assists nearly every game and was the focus of the offense. He was the perfect backstop for his teammates, allowing even weak defensive players like Kenny Smith to cheat and take risks knowing Olajuwon would swat away anyone who came into the paint. He dominated nearly every other center in the post on both ends of the floor. But even Olajuwon couldn't play through double and triple teams. More than learning how to pass, he learned how to trust his coach and his team.

Before long, his sheer dominance carried the Rockets to the finals where he would once again face Patrick Ewing. This time, however, he would prevail and Houston would win its first championship. The following year, amid turmoil and injuries, Olajuwon was reunited with his former teammate, Clyde Drexler, which led to an unprecendented run to the finals from the sixth seed in the Western Conference and a second championship.

The road to the second championship took the Rockets through San Antonio and newly crowned MVP, David Robinson. These two giants were known as much for their religious beliefs as they were for their prowess on the court, but, despite the MVP trophy, this would not be the Admiral's series.

"I thought my defense against him wasn't that bad," Robinson would moan after Olajuwon destroyed him. In one of the most legendary performances in playoff history, Olajuwon showed everyone who the MVP really was. Robinson had no answer for all of Dream's moves. By the time the series was over, Robinson and the Spurs were left in ruins and the Rockets were unstoppable. A young Shaquille O'Neal was no match in the finals as the Rockets swept Orlando. To this day, O'Neal calls Olajuwon the greatest center ever to play the game.

Now, with Olajuwon in his twilight, most of what we have left is memories. Hakeem will probably have a solid season but it won't compare. That's ok. He deserves his last moment in the sun and we deserve one last look.

I have met the man on a couple of occassions. He is sweet and gentle, something that belies his giant size. A man of honor and a basketball player beyond compare, Olajuwon has not just been a shining example for basketball, he has been an example for all of us.

Rarely does an athlete deserve the kind of praise we pile on the Dream, but even Charles Barkley, who played with Olajuwon for only an agonizingly short period of time, gave him the greatest compliment he could give. He called Dream an "honorable man". Maybe that, more than anything, should be the epitaph given to his career. Beyond the trophies, the rings, the praise and the glory is the simplicity of a man who loved and respected not only the game, but himself.

What makes this even more special for us is that he belongs to us. As fans and Houstonians (well, some of us), we have had the rare opportunity to see a man develop from college player to pro athlete to legend. This year, Hakeem will capture another record. He will have spent more seasons with a single team than any other player in the history of the NBA. We are the lucky ones.

His storied career will come to a close this year, but the memories will live on for all of us. It has been truly a joy to watch him play. If he isn't your hero, maybe he should be. The greatest athlete in the history of Houston is a gentle Nigerian man who fell into our laps and warmed our hearts.

I can't thank him enough for what he has given me. The game of basketball is better off because of him. We all are. It has been more than a joy. It has been an honor.