Michael Jordan NBA Draft: What position was His Airness drafted at, and who went ahead of him?

‘His Airness’ Michael Jordan was drafted into the NBA in 1984. However, he wasn’t selected at the position many assume he would’ve been

The NBA draft is a high-stakes guessing game. Every team is on the lookout for the next big player in the league. While deciding on players who will improve the quality of their squads, NBA managers and staff keep a close eye on collegiate prospects.

Often, people look at Michael Jordan and the career he’s had, and assume he was drafted #1. However, Jordan was the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. The Houston Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon with the first overall pick. Sam Bowie joined the Portland Trailblazers with the second pick.

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Hakeem was dominant in college, justifying his pick as number 1 overall. In his junior year, Olajuwon averaged 16.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 5.6 blocks per game. He had also led the Houston Cougars to the national championship game.

On draft day, no one knows who will go down in history as a record-breaking player and who will go down as an all-time bust.

It’s time to review the infamous Michael Jordan draft.

The Michael Jordan Draft: Why did the Chicago Bulls legend go number 3 in his draft class?

Michael Jordan was drafted in an era when big men dominated the league. An elite big man down low was almost a requirement for a championship team.

The Philadelphia 76ers were led by Moses Malone, while the Los Angeles Lakers were led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. As a result, the Rockets’ selection of the best center in college for the #1 pick made a lot of sense.

The Portland Trailblazers followed suit by selecting a big man. They selected Sam Bowie, a center from the University of Kentucky, in the first round.

As a result, Jordan was drafted third overall by the Chicago Bulls.

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People reading today would question how two players were drafted ahead of MJ.

However, it was not an easy decision to make at the time. Jordan had played well for the University of North Carolina in college and had won an NCAA championship, but he wasn’t the best player in the country. Few would argue that Jordan should have gone first overall at the time.

Six championships and five MVP awards later, we’re left wondering how the Blazers could have passed on him.