What Pick Was Michael Jordan In The Nba Draft?
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Many basketball fans know that Michael Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. But did you know that he was actually the second player chosen that year?
Michael Jordan was the third pick in the 1984 NBA Draft.
The 1984 NBA draft was the 37th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was held at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, on June 19, 1984. The draft is generally considered to be one of the greatest in NBA history, with four Hall of Famers being drafted in the first sixteen picks and five overall. It helped spark a renaissance for the NBA.
Prior to the draft, 69 college underclassmen and 32 international players had declared their eligibility for entry into the draft. None of these players were selected in the first round by an NBA team. This was the first draft televised on ESPN; Dick Vitale served as a color analyst during that broadcast.
The number one pick belonged to the Houston Rockets until late May when they traded it to Portland for Sam Bowie while they also traded Moses Malone to Washington for Rudy Tomjanovich and cash considerations creating a huge stir among Rockets fans as many thought Michael Jordan would be their next saviour but instead they got two established all-stars in Malone and Tomjanovich.
The Houston Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon with the first pick.
The 1984 NBA Draft took place on June 19, 1984, in New York City. It was the first draft of the National Basketball Association that allowed college underclassmen to declare for the draft without forfeiting their remaining eligibility. Before the draft, five underclassmen were declared eligible for selection resulting in the draft having a total of 64 eligible players. The Houston Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon with the first overall pick.
The Portland Trail Blazers selected Sam Bowie with the second pick.
This meant that Michael Jordan fell to the Chicago Bulls with the third pick. The Houston Rockets had the first pick in the 1984 NBA draft and used it to select Hakeem Olajuwon.