Did you know that Hakeem Olajuwon recorded two quadruple-doubles in the same month? You heard that right. A quadruple-double, in two games, within the span of 30 days. A fact so crazy you’d think it was a lie. And you’d be right, because it is a lie. It’s exactly one heartbreaking assist short of being true. An assist that the scorekeepers originally counted, but then the league retroactively took off because they couldn’t just let “The Dream” be that awesome.

It’s March 3rd, 1990; the Houston Rockets have a fairly measly 26-31 record. That’s not stopping Hakeem from having a career season, though, as the man is averaging 25 points, 14 rebounds, and over 4 blocks per game. This night, they’re up against an equally sub-500 Golden State squad starring Tim Hardaway and Manute Bol. The Rockets would dominate the Warriors in the second quarter, which helped them gain a lead and eventually win the game. 

This win would come in large part thanks to an outrageous performance by Olajuwon, who put up 29 points, grabbed 18 (!) rebounds, blocked 11 shots, and dished out what most thought was 10 assists, but would later be verified by league officials to just nine. This was a masterclass performance by “The Dream,” but it’s not the performance people talk about when thinking back to this time in the man’s career. The moment people do talk about would come just a couple of weeks later. 

It’s March 29th, 1990. Olajuwon is on a tear and has helped the Rockets bolster their record to 34-36. They’re up against a slightly better Milwaukee Bucks team starring Jay Humphries (who?). The Rockets are shooting the ball exceptionally well and are able to take the early lead. However, there’s one guy in particular who stands out—Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon. By the time the final buzzer sounds, Olajuwon has made history. He becomes the third-ever NBA player to record a quadruple-double with 18 points, 10 assists, 16 rebounds, and 11 blocks. 

In my opinion, 29/18/9 is just as impressive a stat line as a proper quad-double. Though it’s a shame that Dream couldn’t officially become the first-ever player to record such a feat twice, this remains one of the most impressive months for an NBA player.