Dream

”[A] deeply detailed biography of the Hall of Fame center. … The book … captures the essence of a superstar.“–THE WALL STREET JOURNAL“Mirin Fader’s ‘Dream’ explores decades of untold tales on the Houston Rockets’ legend … Take only the basketball chatter, and Fader has a tidy biography on her hands. Fader’s sociological exploration makes Dream a far more meaningful text.”–CHRON.COM“A robust account of Olajuwon’s legendary basketball career.”–Publisher’s Weekly“Immigrant to an all-time great. From his handles and footwork to the iconic dream shake, Hakeem transformed the center position forever. But what’s most impressive is his faith, community, and entrepreneurial savvy, and Mirin Fader’s DREAM captures it all.”–Mo Amer“Mirin Fader’s storytelling makes you feel like you’ve been a fly on the wall for her subject’s entire life, and Dream is no different. She takes you behind the scenes of Olajuwon’s remarkable coming-of-age story; one that was often misunderstood and mischaracterized. This book cuts to the core of who he is, and precisely how he became that way.”–Chris Herring, author Blood in the Garden“Fader’s nuanced portrayal offers a fresh perspective on one of basketball’s greatest centers, showing how Olajuwon’s unwavering devotion to Islam shaped his character and inspired a generation. As the NBA’s first superstar to openly practice Islam, Olajuwon didn’t just break records–he broke barriers, paving the way for future Muslim athletes like me and showcasing the beautiful harmony between faith and sport.”–Ibtihaj Muhammad, author of Proud“With storytelling and writing as dexterous and thrilling as the player himself, Mirin Fader achieves something special with Dream. A massively generous portrait of a life, which feels not only informative, but also transportative.”–Hanif Abdurraqib, author of There’s Always This Year and A Little Devil in America“Dream is a dream book about a dream topic by one of the best basketball writers on the planet. Hakeem Olajuwon’s journey from Nigeria to NBA superstardom, is one for the ages, and Mirin Fader weaves it with reverential beauty.”–Jeff Pearlman, author of Showtime and The Last Folk Hero

Mirin Fader is a senior staff writer for The Ringer. Her first book, Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA Champion, was a New York Times Bestseller, Los Angeles Times Bestseller, Wall Street Journal Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, Publishers Weekly Bestseller. She has profiled some of the NBA’s biggest stars, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and LaMelo Ball, telling the backstories that have shaped some of our most complex, most dominant, heroes. Fader wrote for Bleacher Report from 2017 to 2020 and the Orange County Register from 2013 to 2017. Her work has been featured in the “Best American Sports Writing” series and honored by the Pro Basketball Writers Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the Football Writers Association of America, and the Los Angeles Press Club. She lives in Los Angeles.

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