Michael Jordan has always been the source of wonderful crazy stories, thanks to his monumental journey. Of these, we can mention his draft in 1984. For some reason, some people know he was not there that evening!
Draft is always a special time for NBA players because it marks their entry into the professional world. So this event is always a source of intense emotions, whether it is selective happiness or rejected disappointment. After all, millions of dollars are at risk, which is often the most important factor for athletes coming from backward backgrounds.
Looking in the rearview mirror, we can tell ourselves that some drafts have a very special place in league history. Among these is apparently the 1984 vintage, which produced some of the best players in history. Hakeem Olajuan, Charles Barclay … and Michael Jordan were selected in third place by Chicago that night:
However, unlike most athletes, his sternness when David Stern called his name … was simply not there. Instead, he was in Bloomington, Indiana, at least an interesting place to tell. The reason? He trained with the USA team, thus preparing for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Michael Jordan was training with the USA team on his draft night
At the time, American selection was usually made up entirely of non-professional players. So the current ones are coming almost regularly from the NCAA, and there were other big names members in the future on the list of MJ, Patrick Ewing and Chris Mullin. Men like Barclay and Carl Malone were also approached to compete in the Olympics, but eventually stayed only on the training camp stage.
That being said, nothing has stopped Jordan from spreading terrorism in his first season on the NBA floors, and he has shown everyone what he is capable of. The stats are frantic: over 28 points in 51% shooting and averaging 6.5 revisions, all with almost 6 assists and less than 2.4 thefts per game. Needless to say he was logically selected as the Rookie of the Year in 1984-85! After that he signs of dominance to exercise.
Will Team USA work with you when it is drafted the same night? Stories that one would normally expect from Michael Jordan. From his very beginning, man has been on all fronts!