Michael Jordan was not the first pick of the NBA Draft.
That’s how good the draft was in 1984.
4 The 1984 NBA Draft was so stacked that Michel Jordan didn’t go first overallCredit: Getty
In fact, it wasn’t just good — it was legendary.
There were future All-Stars, NBA record-setters and soon-to-be living legends.
Sam Bowie was infamously a bust.
But even Bowie played 10 pro seasons, made the All-Rookie team, and averaged 15 points in one year.
The 2024 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 26-27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The Atlanta Hawks hold the No. 1 overall pick, while Zaccharie Risacher, Alexandre Sarr and Reed Sheppard are expected to be the first names off the board.
The 2003 is the best draft this millennium, producing LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
All three of the Miami Heat’s two-time NBA Finals winning Big Three were drafted in ’03.
4 Hakeem Olajuwon was a franchise changer for the Houston RocketsCredit: Getty
But nothing compares to the overloaded 1984 class.
First up was Hakeem Olajuwon out of Houston.
The Dream made 12 All-Star teams, was selected to the All-Defensive Team nine times, twice won Defensive Player of the Year, and won two NBA Finals MVPs.
In a league defined by two big names — Michael Jordan and LeBron James — Olajuwon is arguably underrated in 2024, despite averaging 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks in his 18-year career.
Those are Victor Wembanyama-like numbers for The Dream, who was so promising coming out of college that he was drafted ahead of Air Jordan.
The future GOAT went to the Chicago Bulls at No. 3.
He won Rookie of the Year in 1984-85 and never looked back.
By the time he retired (three times), Jordan went 6-0 in the Finals, won five MVP awards, was named to 14 All-Star teams and captured 10 scoring titles.
4 Jordan was just beginning when he held up this No. 23 jersey for the Chicago BullsCredit: Getty
He’s also worth more than $3 billion now.
The 1984 draft was held at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City and broadcast on the USA Network.
Forty years later, five of the picks are Hall of Famers, with four being selected in the top 16.
Charles Barkley followed MJ two picks later at No. 5.
The former Auburn star is one of the best players to never win a championship ring.
But Barkley faced Jordan in the 1993 Finals, finished his superb career by averaging a double-double of 22.1 points and 11.7 rebounds, and became even more famous as an NBA analyst on TNT.
4 Charles Barkley was powerful but smooth during his Hall of Fame careerCredit: Getty
John Stockton went No. 16 to Utah and became a Jazz legend in Salt Lake City.
After averaging just 5.6 points as a rookie, the no-nonsense point guard became the definition of NBA consistency.
Paired with Karl Malone on Jerry Sloan’s Jazz, Stockton helped define a pivotal era for the league.
He was selected to 11 All-NBA teams, led the league in assists nine times, won two steals titles and made five All-Defensive teams.
The final Hall of Famer of the unbelievable 1984 NBA draft captures how special it really was.
Oscar Schmidt played in five Olympics and entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
With Olajuwon, Jordan, Barkley and Stockton all emerging from the same year, it’s hard to imagine any future draft topping the NBA’s history-changing year in 1984.