Rockets' Hakeem Olajuwon Suffers From Season-Ending Ailment

Jet, April 2, 2001

At a recent press conference, Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon announced his season ended prematurely because of a blood disorder. He said his health would determine if he returns to the NBA next year.

"What's important is, how realistic is my health," Olajuwon said. "Can this be corrected? To the doctor, this is nothing new, other people have this symptom and it can be corrected."

Olajuwon, 38, who led the Rockets to a pair of NBA titles over a 16-season career and is the league's all-time shot blocker, has a blood problem in a vein in his left leg which will require medication that will keep him off the court for up to six months.

Olajuwon's contract, which pays him $16.5 million this year, expires at the end of the season, but neither the Rockets nor Olajuwon would close the door on his return.

Rockets trainer Keith Jones said physicians could not identify the ailment with a name other than to describe it as a blood condition.

"The condition he has, if it was a strain or bruise, he would play. But being on coumadin (a blood thinner), our doctors feel it's not the best thing for him to be on the floor," Jones said.