“Erik Spoelstra’s dad is fuming”- NBA SubReddit reacts to Sam Bowie’s 2012 revelation of lying to Portland to get drafted over Michael Jordan

Sam Bowie’s 2012 admitted on lying to Portland to get drafted over Michael Jordan [Credit: https://www.instagram.com/heirjordan13]
Sam Bowie revealed in 2012 he lied to Portland to get drafted over Michael Jordan [Credit: https://www.instagram.com/heirjordan13]

NBA fans have now reacted to a 2012 revelation of former NBA player Sam Bowie. Bowie, who was selected in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers before Michael Jordan, revealed he had lied about his injury.

In 2012, in an ESPN documentary titled "Going Big," Bowie revealed he had lied to the Blazers about his injury to get drafted over Jordan. It worked, and the Blazers picked him over Jordan, sending "His Airness" to the Chicago Bulls as No. 3 in the draft.

"I can still remember them taking a little mallet, and when they would hit me on my left tibia, and 'I don't feel anything, I would tell 'em. But deep inside, it was hurting,” Bowie said on ESPN’s 'Going Big.'

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

Fans reacted to the post on Reddit. Poking fun at the bad luck of the Blazers, one fan thanked the franchise for the unintended sacrifice.

"As a Bulls fan, thank you for your sacrifice," the fan wrote.
"From those of us in Chicago ... THANK YOU FOR YOUR DISSERVICE!" Another fan wrote.
Comments on Reddit (Image credits: Reddit)
Comments on Reddit (Image credits: Reddit)

Some fans said Erik Spoelstra's father must be upset with Owen's revelation. Spoelstra's father, Jon Spoelstra, was senior vice president and general manager in 1984, the draft year of Jordan.

"Old Trailblazers GM reading this "you son of a bitch," a user wrote.
"Erik Spoelstra’s Dad is fuming rn lol," another fan wrote.
"He didn't need to confess, makes it all the more painful," a fan wrote.
"The good news is that the Trailblazers as an organization got much better at identifying, avoiding and handling player injuries," another fan wrote.
"And the Trailblazers franchise history is still scarred by injuries till this day," another fan wrote.
Comments on Reddit (Image credits: Reddit)
Comments on Reddit (Image credits: Reddit)

Bob Knight reportedly suggested Blazers to draft Michael Jordan

To say that the Portland Trail Blazers didn't know how great Michael Jordan was is not entirely true. The Blazers were suggested by the late great legendary NCAA coach Bob Knight.

Jay Bilas had worked with Knight as a basketball analyst at ESPN. According to him, Knight had suggested then Portland general manager Stu Inman to recruit Jordan before the 1984 draft.

“Knight counseled Inman to take Jordan, calling Jordan the best basketball player he had ever seen. Inman told Knight that the Blazers already had Clyde Drexler and needed a center. Knight responded, ‘Then play Jordan at center,’” Bilas wrote.

Knight had coached Jordan when the Bulls legend was selected for the Team USA squad for the 1984 Olympics. Jordan led the team in scoring at the Olympics and later declared for the 1984 NBA Draft.

Inman had asked Knight for his advice before they made their decision to select Sam Bowie as number 2.

The rest is history. Jordan went on to become arguably the greatest player in NBA history. On the other hand, Bowie was perhaps the biggest bust in NBA history.

Bowie’s career was cut short due to constant injuries. He played only 10 seasons in the NBA and averaged 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

Trail Blazers Nation! You can check out the latest Portland Trail Blazers Schedule and dive into the Trail Blazers Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

Quick Links

Edited by Abhimanyu Gupta
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications