'The Last Dance': Blazers Fans Reel After Remembering They Passed on Michael Jordan in 1984 Draft

ESPN premiered the first two episodes of The Last Dance, a 10-part documentary series focused on the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls. This is the team that defeated the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals and secured the sixth championship of Michael Jordan's career. For fans of the Portland Trail Blazers, however, it served as a harsh reminder that the Pacific Northwest team had an opportunity to select the Hall of Famer during the 1984 NBA Draft.

Entering the draft, the Chicago Bulls were slated to select third overall. The Houston Rockets were first and the Portland Trail Blazers were second. Hakeem Olajuwon was selected first overall, which provided the Trail Blazers with the opportunity to snag Jordan. Instead, they opted for Sam Bowie, who enjoyed a 10-year career in the league. However, he only played for Portland for four seasons while missing another due to a leg injury.

The reason this became an issue on Sunday night is that The Last Dance revisited the moment that the Trail Blazers selected Bowie. This mere mention of his name resulted in several fans struggling to accept that one of the greatest players in NBA history was nearly a member of their favorite team. Instead, they selected a player with an average career.