Abi Olajuwon Q&A: Part Two

Keenan Clayton

NORMAN, Okla. -- SoonerSports.com presents the second of a two-part interview with Oklahoma freshman basketball player Abi Olajuwon. The McDonald's All-American will bring talented depth to the women's basketball front court, which already includes All-American Courtney Paris, All-Big 12er Leah Rush, Ashley Paris and Krista Sanchez.

Olajuwon has been in Norman and enrolled in classes since the beginning of June. The 6-3 center has joined the majority of the 2006-07 squad in off-season conditioning.

The Los Angeles native was ranked as high as No. 22 by recruiting gurus after averaging 15.9 points and 15.1 rebounds during her senior season at The Marlborough School.
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SoonerSports: How is strength coach Tim Overman treating you?
Abi Olajuwon: Awesome. He has really taught me a lot about my body and definition. I like to lift weights and enjoy the competitive nature of it. I am doing better in that area that I expected.

SS: What personal goals do you have between now and the first official practice of the season?
AO: First of all, I want to be in the best practice shape possible. I also want to give Courtney the best competition, because I truly believe there is no better post player in the country. I want to make sure that she does not get lazy.

SS: What moment from the OU's 2005-06 season stood out to you?
AO: It would have to be the Stanford game. No doubt. I was at the McDonald's All-American game in San Diego and I was hanging with Amanda Thompson. We were watching the game with two girls that are going to Stanford and OU falls in that early hole. Then we start battling it out and I thought we were going to come back.

Besides the Stanford game, it had to be the Baylor WhiteOUt' game. It really hit me that I had no idea what it was like to play in front of 12,000 people. Plus they were all wearing white and going crazy.

SS: Your choices in schools came down to LSU and Oklahoma, were you intent on leaving California?
AO: It was strictly a basketball decision, not a geographical choice. I wanted to go where I fit in and thought that I could help win a National Championship. Oklahoma was that program for me. I fell in love with the people and I knew we'd have the talent to win a National Championship.

Q&A: Part One | Olajuwon's Bio | 2006-07 Roster

SS: Lakers or Clippers?
AO: Lakers

SS: Kobe or Shaq?
AO: Shaq

SS: In-N-Out or Del Taco?
AO: In California you have to have In-N-Out. Easy choice.

SS: Earthquakes or tornadoes?
AO: Earthquakes. I heard the Noon tornado siren the other day and I freaked. I thought we were in the middle of a high speed chase or something.

SS: Would you vote for Governor Arnold Schwarznegger in the next California election?
AO: Couldn't tell you, I have to be honest and admit that I don't know much about politics.

SS: What is your earliest basketball memory?
AO: Getting knocked out in my first game. I was 12 and I caught an elbow. The coaches kept telling me to front her. I figured out what they meant quickly and have not forgotten since.

SS: What is your earliest memory of your dad's basketball career?
AO: The San Antonio All-Star Game (played in 1996, when Abi was 8). All the games seem to blend to together except a few in particular. All-star games always stood out because we would just have a blast.

Patrick Ewing (left), Abi and her father
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SS: Who is the best player you have faced besides Courtney Paris?
AO: There isn't anyone else besides Courtney. No one has influenced me on and off the court like Courtney. She's is a rode model to me. Then on the court she has such court vision and footwork, which helps make her so dominant. She is someone I aspire to be like and that I want to compete with. That is why I am here.

SS: Tell us something Oklahoma fans do not now about you?
AO: I am a fashion hound. I told Coach Coale that I am going to give her a run for her money on heels. I love to wear high heels. Ashley and I are same size, so we are excited that we can share clothes. I have to teach her how to walk in heels though. Walking in four inch heels is a foreign skill to her.

SS: Tell us the story about how the Paris twins tried to get you to commit to Oklahoma back when all three of you were in high school?
AO: It was my birthday weekend and we were with Courtney, Ashley, Miss Lynne (Paris' twins mother), my mom, Devanei Hampton (Cal basketball player) and Alexis Gray-Lawson (Cal basketball player). All four of them were talking about committing to the same college and how crazy that would be.

Since I was the youngest, Ashley said that I had to follow wherever the four of them chose. Then Courtney was asking me, “If I will verbal when they decide on a school?”

I was thinking, “No”.

At the time I was thinking it would be Texas or Connecticut, so I promised them that I would take a visit to wherever they ended up. When they chose Oklahoma I was shocked. Then I went on my trip and I told Ashley how much I loved it. She did not believe me until I verbally agreed to OU.

SS: Can we expect to see your father in the seats at the Lloyd Noble Center?
AO: Definitely. I think he will be here. That was one of the big things for me about Oklahoma. It borders with Texas and we travel to all the Texas schools in the Big 12 South, so It will be easy for him to get to games. I expect him to be in attendance, home and away.

SS: I know that you have traveled extensively around the world, tell me what that was like?
AO: My father loves to travel. So we would go on trips and it was always a one-way flight. We did it all together while I was growing up and usually we wouldn't know when we were leaving or where we would go next.

For instance, we spent a summer following the Nigerian soccer team around to all the World Cup sites. He's a huge fan and few things take priority over that squad.

SS: If you could steal one thing from your father's game, what would it be?
AO: That would be The Dream Shake'. No one can stop and no one can duplicate it. Especially since I am left handed. I think that would help my freshman year out a little bit.

SS: How influential in your basketball life is Hakeem?
AO: For him, as long as I am around good coaches, teachers and people that will condition me, he feels I will be fine. To him the most important thing is how you handle the success you attain. Not only how you represent yourself, but how you represent your family, friends and the University of Oklahoma off the court.

His biggest concern is that I stay grounded and keep my composure. He believes that a good coach can teach you basketball, but not necessarily how to be a good person. So that is why he is influential in that area. He stresses that, if necessary, he will help me with basketball but these are axioms you cannot forget.

SS: Will he ever call you after a game and give you pointers on your play?
AO: He hasn't done that. He knows that I want to win a National Championship.

His biggest regret is the 1983 National Championship loss against NC State. He will never forget it. We watched that game. He has shown me the shift in the defense and where they messed up. He knows they messed up. He will never forget it because after that loss he swore he would never play basketball again. He thought a loss in the National Championship game was the end of the world. He even made me download it and put it on my I-Pod so that I never forget. If we are ever in that situation, I will be sure not too drift over to much and allow the game winning dunk.

SS: So if you won a National Championship would a piece of that go to your Dad?
AO: It would almost be a little like a, “Ha, ha, look what I have.” It is something that very few people can say they have accomplished and he has accomplished a lot of great things on his own. But to say I had a college championship, I know he would be proud. Knowing how close he came, he would also be a bit jealous

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