Michael Jordan's NBA Debut: The rest is history!
The Bulls took Jordan as the third pick in one of the best drafts in NBA history. There was a high probability the Portland Trailblazers would draft him, but luckily for them, Portland was looking for a big man since they already drafted a talented Clyde Drexler the year before. They went with Sam Bowie, and it ended up being a mistake for their ball club.
Jordan came into the league as a college superstar, and everybody predicted he would have a very successful NBA career. However, not a lot of them could ever imagine he would end up in the GOAT conversation one day.
On this date, 34 years ago, Jordan made his NBA debut against a Washington Bullets team, and the rest is history.
Jordan’s debut was a highly expected event, and he delivered an excellent performance in his Nike Air Ships shoes. He finished with 16 points, 7 assists, 6 rebound, 2 steals, and 4 blocked shots. He immediately displayed his versatility and ability to dominate both ends of the floor, even though he didn’t shot very well from the field that game.
There was also a scary anecdote in the game that could have changed the entire course of NBA history. Michael Jordan was trying to go for a dunk on a 6’11 All-Star Jeff Ruland, but he fell on his back, and at that moment in time, it looked dangerous and potentially harmful.
Luckily for everyone, Jordan was ok, and he continued to attack the rim for the rest of the game. He gave Chicago Bulls fans their money’s worth, and the Bulls won the match by 16 points.
Jordan would end up having a spectacular rookie season scoring 28 points per game, and also winning the Rookie Of The Year award. And yeah, many awards after that in his illustrious 15-year long career.
