Abi Olajuwon, more than Hakeem's Daughter

Beginning this fall, Abi Olajuwon will play college basketball the next four years for head coach Sherri Coale and the Oklahoma Sooners' women's hoops team.

OU's sports information department (thanks, Chris Freet) supplied the media with a great interview with Abi for the media to utilize at our discretion.

I'm going to post more of Abi's Q&A session in the near future; but, this post will feature her answers to questions about her religion and her famous father -- Hakeem.

First things first, you go by Abi but that is not your given name?
That’s true, my full name is much longer than three letters. It is Alon Abisola Arisicate Ajoke Olajuwon, which means born in wealth and loved by all.

You have said that your last name is a gift and a curse, what do you mean by that?
I do believe that sometimes. I love my dad and love my name but it can be a double-edged sword.

For example, in recruiting the name ‘Olajuwon’ brought people out to see me play, but then I had this flawless reputation to live up to. The expectations of a name can be exhausting. No one can match my father’s ability on the court and I understand that fully. Hopefully I will create a new and unique legacy for Abi Olajuwon.

You are a practicing Muslim, will there be an adjustment period to college life?
One of the biggest obstacles of being a practicing Muslim is dealing with certain stereotypes and preconceived notions that people have. Some of those stereotypes have been fostered since the 9-11 attacks.

I have had a lot of people come up to me and ask, “How can you be Muslim when you are not Arab?” That seems like a basic misconception, but there are unfortunately certain stereotypes you have to deal with.

It is something that has been hard at times in my life, but what differentiated Oklahoma from every other place I visited during the recruiting process was how welcoming strangers were to me. They had no idea who I was, yet they welcomed me into their tailgating area or went out of their way to say hello and introduce themselves.

Everywhere I have gone in Norman, people have been more than nice and willing to help my adjustment. So I am very hopeful that my religious preference will not affect what people think of me.

Can we expect to see your father in the seats at the Lloyd Noble Center?
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.

I know that you have traveled extensively around the world, tell me what that was like?
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.

If you could steal one thing from your father’s game, what would it be?
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.

How influential in your basketball life is Hakeem?
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.

Will he ever call you after a game and give you pointers on your play?
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.

So if you won a National Championship would a piece of that go to your Dad?
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.