Blazers fans know the story oh so well. At the 1984 NBA Draft, after the Houston Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon with the top pick, the Blazers passed up on Jordan to take University of Kentucky center Sam Bowie second overall. Jordan was drafted third by the Bulls.
In this regard, who did the Trail Blazers draft instead of Michael Jordan? The Trail Blazers bypassed taking Jordan and picked Sam Bowie No. 2 following Houston’s decision to draft Hakeem Olajuwon with the No. 1 overall pick. Chicago took Jordan, and we know the rest of that story.
Correspondingly, what happen to Sam Bowie? At the end of his sophomore year, Bowie developed a stress fracture in his left tibia. Despite spending time in a cast, the center’s leg didn’t properly heal; he ended up missing two seasons of action.
Likewise, why did Portland draft Sam Bowie? Simply put, Portland was stocked at the shooting guard position and had plenty of scorers. Their need was a defensive presence who could dominate the lane and rebound. So after Olajuwon was taken, the Blazers had a choice. Bowie was a 7’1 center who could rebound and block shots.
Furthermore, when did Larry Bird get drafted? Bird was drafted by the Celtics after his junior year at Indiana State (1978) but did not play professionally until the 1979–80 season, when he won the Rookie of the Year award after contributing to one of the largest single-season turnarounds in NBA history (a 32-win improvement).
Who did not draft Michael Jordan?
The Bulls only selected Jordan because the top two big men were gone and they were unable to trade the pick that would be Jordan for centers Jack Sikma or Tree Rollins.
When was Michael Jordan retired?
Though he scored his 30,000th career point on January 4, 2002, against his former team, the Bulls, Jordan was never able to lead the Wizards into playoff competition. He retired for the third and final time on April 16, 2003. Jordan’s time on the Bulls was the subject of a docuseries The Last Dance on ESPN in 2020.
What pick was Kobe Bryant?
1.) Kobe Bryant: Bryant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and traded on draft night to the Los Angeles Lakers. The 18-time NBA All-Star spent his entire career with the Lakers and won five NBA Championships.
Who drafted Scottie Pippen?
In 1987 the Seattle SuperSonics selected Pippen in the first round of the NBA draft and traded him to Chicago. During his rookie season (1987–88), he became a regular in the Bulls’ lineup.
