3 teams that passed on Michael Jordan during NBA Draft 1984

Michael Jordan is the greatest to ever play the game. You would think he surely went first overall in the NBA Draft. Not quite. Three teams had a chance to draft Jordan. He instead went third overall in the 1984 draft to Chicago.

Jordan was famously cut from his varsity high school team before making it back the next year and proving his coach wrong. He proved the teams that passed on him in the NBA draft wrong as well.

Jordan was an All-American at North Carolina in college. He led the Tar Heels to the national championship in 1982. However, he was passed up in the 1984 Draft by the first three teams. Let’s take a look at the teams that could have had the G.O.A.T.

Three teams that whiffed on Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan went third overall to the Chicago Bulls. He turned the Bulls into one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. He could have done it on three other teams. Here are the franchises that missed out on Jordan.

No. 3 - Indiana Pacers

The Pacers did not have the draft pick during the 1984 draft. However, they owned the second overall pick Portland used.

They traded the pick to Portland in a deal involving Tom Owens during the 1981-82 season. Owens only played one season for the Pacers. He was quickly out of the league.

No. 2 - Portland Trail Blazers

Portland is often the team mocked for missing on Jordan. They had the second overall pick in the 1984 Draft. They took big man Sam Bowie.

He did not have a career anywhere close to Jordan's; few did. Bowie averaged 10.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 blocks over his 10-year NBA career. Jordan averaged 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.4 steals and 0.8 blocks his rookie season. Bowie also played for the New Jersey Nets and LA Lakers. He made the NBA All-Rookie team but did not win a championship. He was a second team All-American in college at Kentucky.

No. 1 - Houston Rockets

The Rockets had the first pick in the 1984 Draft. Now most do not mock Houston for missing on Jordan because they took a Hall of Famer of their own.

The NBA was a big man’s league at the time, and the Rockets took Hakeem Olajuwon with its first pick. He played at the nearby University of Houston and was a sure thing. The 7-footer went on to his own legendary NBA career. He led the Rockets to two NBA championships. Those titles came when Jordan was out of the league on his first retirement and playing baseball.

It would have been interesting to see if Michael Jordan could have still won six titles if he ended up somewhere besides Chicago. He would not have had the same teammates or the running mate of Scottie Pippen. Maybe Michael Jordan would have won more.