In 1980, when Hakeem Olajuwon boarded a plane for the first time in his life and arrived in Houston, Texas, he didn't behave like other Africans who had never been to America; instead of feeling overwhelmed as though he had stepped into a future world, he was composed.
At just 16 years old, he had already traveled throughout his native Nigeria, and his wealth of experience enabled him to remain steady and serene when encountering new things.
Therefore, even though the University of Houston, which had summoned him from Africa, didn't send anyone to pick him up from the airport, he still found a payphone in the vast and unfamiliar airport and calmly called Coach Lewis, only to be told, "Just take a taxi over here."
This was just one of the countless times in his life when he was underestimated.
