Fernando Medina/Getty Images
After squaring off against each other in the 1995 NBA Finals, Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon teamed up for COVID-19 relief efforts.
On Sunday, the Houston Rockets announced a framed, autographed picture of the two big men at the opening tipoff of one of the games in the 1995 NBA Finals will be included in its auction raising money for COVID-19 relief through the Clutch City Foundation.
Other items include a signed jersey from Clyde Drexler, a signed jersey from Vernon Maxwell, a signed James Harden All-Star jersey and signed P.J. Tucker game-worn shoes.
Bidding for the picture of O’Neal and Olajuwon starts at 8 p.m. ET on the team’s official mobile app.
The announcement explained the picture was included in part to remember the 25th anniversary of Houston’s championship team that swept O’Neal’s Orlando Magic in that series. It gave Olajuwon and the Rockets back-to-back titles after they defeated the New York Knicks in the 1994 NBA Finals.
Houston’s 1995 team won the championship as the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference and remains the lowest seed in NBA history to win a title.