Whenever Hakeem Olajuwon retires we have seen one of the great players ever. He was a tremendous team guy, a wonderful human being and a marvelously skilled center who ranks with the best centers of all time.

	If Olajuwon retires the NBA will have lost one of its greatest centers.

It would not be inappropriate to talk of Olajuwon in the same breath as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Olajuwon played with the very best of them.

For the Rockets, it hurts their chances this season. They've been making a strong push in the uphill battle that is Western Conference competition. Recently all eight teams that would have qualified for playoff spot were above .600. Houston was staring into that strength before Hakeem went down.

The only team that may falter and allow the Rockets to squeak into the playoffs is Phoenix. But every time they seem down and out, the Suns come back. The last time these two teams faced each other, Phoenix won and it was a significant victory for them.

If there was any way for Houston to continue their push, Kelvin Cato will have to be a significant factor. But the Rockets can score enough points even without Hakeem, so Cato's contribution will have to come on defense. If Cato can step up and be a defensive factor there is a chance Houston could still fight for the eighth playoff spot in the West.

But it would be sad if this was the end of Olajuwon's career. He is one of the great gentleman and competitors to have ever played. He has graced the NBA by his presence.