Please remember that Chicago offered their #3 (Jordan) and another decent player (can't remember who) for Ralph Sampson. Bill Fitch said no. This was the same Bill Fitch who chose Rodney McCray over Clyde Drexler, the hometown favorite. If hindsight is permitted, then we would have had both Hakeem and MJ as well as Drexler. Of course, if frogs had wings......
What did Wilt ever win period? He won one title at the end of his career as a role player. Give him the stats, but your statement "What did Jordan ever win without Pippen" My question to you is how many rings does Wilt have? And hes been on some ridiculously pumped teams.
Akeem was the right pick at the time. Even if we knew what we know now Hakeem still wins. Common wisdom says a great C is better than a great G. I don't think Jordan could win 6 rings with lesser supporting cast either. We could have picked Drexler over McCray and traded Sampson for Jordan. But of course, back then, McCray and Sampson were the better choices.
Wow, it's amazing how any semblance of credibility you might have had just vanished. Wilt won two rings, not one. Remember that 1966-67 76ers team? Ohhhhhhhhhh, right. Think about what you're doing: you're arguing Jordan's case, and you don't even know BASIC facts about Wilt. How can you be sure that Jordan is the best ever if you don't pay any attention to history? So really, I shouldn't even bother arguing with you, but I will anyway. Okay, Wilt won his rings on some pretty good teams. The one you actually knew about, the 1971-72 Lakers, had HOFers Wilt, Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, and Baylor some of the time, when he wasn't injured. By the way, he average 15 pts, 19 rbs, & 4 asts that season, and was not a "role player." Those numbers weren't up to his standards, but a decrepit Wilt was still a star. On the 76ers team that won it all, Wilt had HOFers Billy Cunningham and Hal Greer playing beside him. So, why did Wilt only win two rings, while Jordan won six? The answer is actually mind-numbingly simple: competition. More precisely, the Boston Celtics. Let's take a look at some of the HOFers employed by the Celtics during their big title run, shall we? Bill Russell Bob Cousy Tom Heinsohn Sam Jones K.C. Jones Frank Ramsey Bill Sharman Clyde Lovellette John Havlicek Wayne Embry Let me give you a little example of how deep the Celtics were: Clyde Lovellette had been a 20 & 10 player for eight years before he got to the Celtics. When he got to Boston, he was instantly reduced to less than 10 minutes per game, with averages of 6 points and 3 rebounds. That's how deep that team was. Now lets take a look at the teams Jordan had to beat in the Finals: Utah Jazz had 2 guys who will make the Hall: Stockton & Malone Sonics had 1: Gary Payton. Maybe 2 if you count Kemp. Suns had 2: Barkley and KJ. Chambers has an outside chance of making it in. The Lakers had 2: Magic and James Worthy when he wasn't injured. In the end, it's very simple: Jordan never played a team in the finals that was even in the same timezone as the Celtics of the 60s. That's why Wilt has only two championships to his credit, not one.
To be honest, I don't think Jordan would be as good as he is now if he played for the Rockets. Anyway if Sampson never got hurt, the Rockets would have won around 6 titles. Dream and Sampson could have become the best big teamates ever to play the game. It would have been us playin g the Celtics, not the Lakers.
My "honrable mention" was to refect that they HAVE lived up to their expectations. Kmart is one of my favorite players. My "good list" was to reflect "bargains." Those players exceeded expectations.
The trade of Ralph Sampson for Portland's #2 pick and Drexler was incredible in the hindsight. We could have Akeem, Drexler and Jordan/Barkley for the next 15 years. But it actually could make sense even without the hindsight. Portland needed a big man. Houston had two. Ralph was a proven franchise center (without the hindsight injury). Bowie was not proven. Of course, Portland would want him. Drexler wasn't that good his rookie year, just an athletic guard without a good jumpshot. Houston, on the other hand, didn't need another big man. They could trade either Sampson or Olajuwon. But Portland probably would prefer Sampson while Houston would prefer Akeem because of his Houston ties. And Houston could get the hometown Drexler back. So with the #2 pick, Houston wouldn't have picked Bowie (another center) but either a PF in Barkley or another very athletic guy in Jordan. And left in the third spot, the Bulls would have chosen Bowie and later on, Pippen would be stuck with a stinky team for many years. Hahahahaha!
There are a lot of NBA scouts who thought at the time Jordan should have gone first. Its just that you can't pass up on a franchise center, but there were plenty of people who knew how great Jordan could be.
then why was Sam Bowie picked 2nd i guess they had Drexler but still don't you pick player with the most talent. By the way any one knows Bowies bio. the only thing i know about him that he was picked between two of the greatest players
Believe me, the only people who didn't know that was a mistake was Sam Bowie and Portland's front office.
