Former Bulls GM Rod Thorn made a startling revelation about drafting Michael Jordan that could have changed the roadmap for the NBA.
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One of the greatest to ever pick up a basketball, Michael Jordan, wasn’t the go-to choice for the Chicago Bulls, who drafted him as the 3rd pick in the 1984 draft. As we continue to scratch our heads over this, former Bulls GM Rod Thorn felt the former North Carolina player couldn’t be the face of the franchise.
At the time, the NBA was considered a big man’s league, with teams finding success in dominant centers like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Though Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were a fresh welcome, they were both listed at 6″9′.
Thus one can understand Thorn’s perspective, especially since the Bulls were struggling to make it big at the time. The city of Chicago wanted a player who could turn around things for their franchise, catapulting them into showtime, and Jordan being 6″6′ didn’t qualify for that.
Surprisingly, the Bulls front office had thought of trading MJ but couldn’t crack a deal. GM Thorn was eager to win now, not wanting to wait any further.
“Michael Jordan isn’t going to turn the franchise around”: Bulls GM Rod Thorn.
In hindsight, Thorn could very well be thanking the almighty on a nightly basis for not having pulled off a potential catastrophe. The former Bulls GM’s perception of Air Jordan turned out to be a complete bust, with the apparent 6″6′ guard climbing the heap in no time.
GM Thorn had the following to say about drafting the ten-time scoring champion and why he wished the Bulls guard was seven-feet.
“WE WISH HE WERE SEVEN FEET, BUT HE ISN’T,” SAID BULLS GM ROD THORN.
“HE’S ONLY 6-5,” SAID THE FORMER EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR, WHO MUST USE A DIFFERENT YARDSTICK THAN DEAN SMITH, THE CAROLINA COACH. DOWN WHERE THE TOBACCO GROWS, JORDAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN 6-6, NOT THAT ONE INCH EVER STOPPED JORDAN FROM CRASHING THE BOARDS, HITTING FROM THE OUTSIDE, OR PLAYING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE SEA LEVEL. BY THE TIME HE GETS TO CHICAGO, OR WHEN NEGOTIATIONS FOR HIS WAGES GET STICKY, JORDAN MAY BE THE SIZE OF A JOCKEY. THE BULLS AREN’T EVEN SURE WHERE TO PLAY JORDAN. “BIG GUARD, SMALL FORWARD,” SAID COACH KEVIN LOUGHERY.
“WHEN YOU WIN ONLY 55 GAMES IN TWO YEARS,” SAID THORN, “YOU DON’T GET WELL ALL AT ONCE. LOOK, WHEN ISIAH THOMAS WENT TO DETROIT, HE IMPROVED THEM BUT IT TOOK TWO YEARS TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. WE’VE TAKEN A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. JORDAN ISN’T GOING TO TURN THIS FRANCHISE AROUND. I WOULDN’T ASK HIM TO. I WOULDN’T PUT THAT KIND OF PRESSURE ON HIM.”
“HE’S A VERY GOOD OFFENSIVE PLAYER,” SAID THORN. “BUT NOT AN OVERPOWERING OFFENSIVE PLAYER.”
Via: SPORTS MOCKERY
Well, Thorn would have to eat his words soon, which assuming he would do with great pleasure, given the generational talent that MJ turned out to be. The six-time Finals MVP would rewrite the history books of the NBA, changing the dynamics of the league.
