Hakeem Olajuwon, Dalia Asafi, 27 Years Together
The celebrated Hakeem Olajuwon racked up over 200 blocks and 200 steals in a single season—no one else comes close. For 18 seasons, he soared with the Rockets, snagging two NBA championships, two Finals MVPs, and a league MVP. Twelve All-Star nods? That’s just a given.
In August 1996, Hakeem married Dalia Asafi, from a Muslim family. She was 18 when she entered an Islamic prearranged marriage with the NBA’s ultimate shot-blocker and thief, sealing the deal in a traditional Islamic ceremony. Both of them hailed from Nigeria and shared more than just roots. For her education, Dalia moved to Houston.
