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“It’s very hard for Bulls to be respected like the Lakers and Celtics but not impossible”: When Michael Jordan broke down his NBA goals on Draft night

Samir Mehdi
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“It’s very hard for Bulls to be respected like the Lakers and Celtics but not impossible”: When Michael Jordan broke down his NBA goals on Draft night

Michael Jordan wanted the Chicago Bulls to be respected just as the Lakers, Celtics, and Sixers were when he joined the league in 1984. 

Dean Smith pushed Michael Jordan into declaring for the NBA Draft a year earlier as there were rumblings that he would be a top 3-5 pick in 1984. Despite Jordan claiming in a speech after winning the NCAA Championship in 1982 as a freshman that he would finish all 4 years at Chapel Hill, MJ made the jump. 

The Chicago Bulls lucked out with the Portland Trailblazers taking Sam Bowie with the 2nd pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. With them already having a budding superstar at the 2 guard position in Clyde Drexler at the time, they felt as though they had no need for yet another shooting guard.

Also read: “Michael Jordan averaged 35 with 3 steals a game! MVP and DPOY? Put it in the bag!”: When the Bulls legend set the NBA ablaze in the 1987-88 season 

This led to the Bulls happily picking Michael Jordan with their 3rd pick of the draft as a junior out of UNC. The Chicago Bulls didn’t exactly have that great of an image, as explained by GM Rod Thorn who was there from 1979-85. 

This of course, changed with the arrival of ‘His Airness’. 

Michael Jordan was motivated to get the Bulls a high level of respect. 

Michael Jordan was raring to go from the day he got drafted. An interview of his on draft night showed that the junior out of Chapel Hill wanted to achieve something with the Chicago Bulls that would put them on the same level playing field as juggernauts such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Also read: “I’ll see you tomorrow”: When Michael Jordan took Shaq’s beatdown personally en-route to the Bulls’ 72 win season in 1996

“I just want the franchise and the Chicago Bulls to be respected as a team like the Lakers or the Philadelphia 76ers or the Boston Celtics. It’s very hard for something like that to happen, but it’s not impossible. Hopefully I and this team and this whole organization can build a program like that.”

In hindsight, Michael Jordan did more than just get the Bulls respect on the level of what the Celtics and Lakers had. He ignited a fierce and passionate basketball culture in a city that was having an indoor soccer team sell more tickets than the Bulls in the early 80s. 

Jordan’s 6 rings mean more to a city than any other ring has meant to any other city throughout the 75 years that the NBA has existed. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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