You are not a true basketball fan if you missed out on the first four episodes of the “The Last Dance,” a 10-part docuseries which chronicled a basketball legend. Indeed, Michael Jordan is a cut above, and there will never be anyone who laced up some sneakers, dribbled a ball and soared for a dunk like him.
Jordan being part of the 1984 class was one of the best moments in basketball history.
Let’s revisit the 37th National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft that made five players separately enshrined into basketball’s Hall of Fame.
Pick #1 HAKEEM OLAJUWON (HOU) – Houston was awarded the first pick thru a coin flip. The Rockets chose this Nigerian-born player from the University of Houston. Hakeem Olajuwon left the NBA in 2002 with two titles, two Finals MVPs, a League MVP, 12 All-Star appearances, and as the all-time league leader in blocked shots.
Pick #2 SAM BOWIE (POR) – It was presumed that Portland picked Bowie over Jordan since the team at that time had All-Star shooting guard Jim Paxson and second year guard Clyde Drexler. Bowie was considered a draft bust due to an injury-riddled 10-year career. He averaged in the league 11 points and seven rebounds.
Pick #3 MICHAEL JORDAN (CHI) – Well,should there be a need to elaborate “His Airness?”
Pick #4 SAM PERKINS (DAL) – The Mavericks’ 4th pick, Perkins, lasted 17 years in the league with trips to the LA Lakers, Seatlle and Indiana. A center-forward, he was named to the 1985 NBA All-Rookie First Team, played in the NBA Finals for the Lakers (1991), the Sonics (1996) and the Pacers (2000). He retired in 2001 averaging a respectable 12 points and six rebounds a game.
Pick #5 CHARLES BARKLEY (PHI) – With the fifth pick, the Sixers chose the “Round Mound of Rebound.” Although he hasn’t won a league championship, Barkley was named the league MVP in 1993 playing for Phoenix and faced Jordan and the Bulls in the Finals. He had 11 All-Star selections and retired in 2000. You can see him now as a TV analyst.
Pick #16 JOHN STOCKTON (UTA) – The Jazz picked him at 16th, but he went on to play in 10 All-Star games and in two consecutive NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 against the Bulls. By the time he retired in 2003, Stockton was the league’s all-time leader in assists and steals. He was with Jordan and Barkley in the 1992 Dream Team. The three of them, along with Olajuwon, were named as part NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All Time during the NBA’s 50th anniversary in 1996.
Pick #70 RICK CARLISLE (BOS) – He was selected on the third round and won a title with the Celtics in 1986. Playing a very limited role, he moved to New York and New Jersey where he retired from active play after just 5 years. He became an assistant with the Nets, Portland and Indiana. From head coaching stints in Detroit (2002 Coach of the Year) and Indiana (2004 ASG head coach), Carlisle was with Dallas since 2008 (2011 NBA Champion) and is one of 11 people who had won titles both as player and coach.
#131 OSCAR SCHMIDT (NJN) – The Brazilian was New Jersey’s pick but never played in the NBA. He enjoyed superstar status in South America, Europe and in FIBA contests. He played for Brazil in five Olympic tournaments and recorded an average of 28.8 points in 38 career Olympic games. He was named to FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players in 1991, inducted to FIBA’s Hall of Fame in 2010 and was the 5th member of the 1984 NBA Draft class to be enshrined to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2013.
Other notable members of the draft class are Alvin Robertson, Otis Thorpe, Kevin Willis, Michael Cage, and Jerome Kersey. Robertson is one of the only four players who officially recorded a quadruple-double in an NBA game and the only non-center to do so. The other three were Olajuwon, Nate Thurmond and David Robinson./PN
