Paul on Olajuwon's NBA Africa performance: 'I couldn't imagine him in his day'

The NBA's first-ever exhibition game in Africa took place Saturday, and the league's African ambassador stole the show.

Hakeem Olajuwon checked into the game alongside Dikembe Mutombo in the second quarter, providing a highlight-reel blocked shot and, at age 52, a ridiculous post move to beat Nikola Vucevic.

Yes, that's Olajuwon's patented Dream Shake, still effective 13 years after the Nigerian-born center last played in the NBA.

"That's one of the most memorable experiences ever," Chris Paul, who took home co-MVP honors, said. "I told Dream, if he's still moving like that at his age now, I couldn't imagine him in his day."

Olajuwon finished with two points on 1-of-3 shooting in 2:14 of action, but the energy boost he provided couldn't help Team Africa hang on to what was once a 20-point lead.

"We all won," Olajuwon said. "The whole week was a winner."

As for Mutombo, he believes he was frozen out of a potential throwback finger wag, with nobody coming close enough to the rim in his 3:39 of playing time.

"So many of these young players don't want to see themselves on YouTube," Mutombo said. "So they run away."

There was no criticism of Boris Diaw, who took over the coaching reins from Gregg Popovich at one point during Team Africa's collapse, for not putting the legendary twin towers back in to protect the lead late. If Mutombo's hypothesis is correct, it would have forced Team World out of the paint and could have been the difference in the 101-97 final.