What if the Trail Blazers had drafted Michael Jordan instead of Sam Bowie?(NBA)

Michael Jordan, Portland Trail Blazers. Sounds strange, doesn't it? If not for the NBA's infatuation with big men in 1984, Jordan could have ended up playing in Nike's backyard. But centers--Hakeem Olajuwon to Houston and Sam Bowie to Portland--went 1-2 in the '84 draft, and the Bulls, picking third, snatched the player who would lead them to six NBA crowns and would become the best basketball player and most popular athlete in the world. Houston won two titles with Olajuwon, but Portland still speaks wistfully of Bill Walton. Meanwhile, we're left wondering how different the NBA could have been. What if the Blazers had chosen Jordan No. 2?

What if ...

There were no draft lottery?

After debating the merits of a draft lottery in 1985, the league decides to stick with its time-honored coin flip between the worst teams from each conference to determine the No. 1 pick. The Knicks, owners of the third-worst record in 1985, covet surefire top choice Patrick Ewing but are unable to trade up for the No. 1 pick after the Pacers win the coin toss. Indiana drafts Ewing and goes on to become the Bulls' chief rival in the 1990s--even winning a championship after Pat Riley takes over as coach of the Pacers in 1991. The Knicks end up with Benoit Benjamin at No. 3, and his dismal performance leads them to the 1987 coin flip, where a call of heads brings David Robinson to New York.--Dan Graf

The Suns had won the Lew Alcindor coin toss?

Phoenix and Milwaukee finish last in their conferences in 1968-69 to qualify for the coin flip that determines which team gets the No. 1 pick. The Suns win the toss and end up with Alcindor. They also trade for power forward Paul Silas and sign free-agent small forward Connie Hawkins. To this day, the makeover is considered the most successful offseason overhaul in NBA history. As the anchor of the league's top front line, Alcindor leads the Suns to four titles in six years. He then tries to force a trade to a bigger city, but the Suns hold firm. Alcindor, now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, plays his entire 20-year career in Phoenix.--S.M.

 
           HISTORY ...                          ... REVISED 
 
1 With the No. 2 pick in the 1984   1 After watching Jordan dominate 
NBA draft, the Trail Blazers        the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, 
select Bowie, the 7-1 center from   Trail Blazers coach Jack Ramsay 
Kentucky. Although nobody           convinces management he can 
doubts the Rockets' decision to     build a team around a pair of 
choose University of Houston hero   high-flying wing players. The 
Olajuwon with the first pick, the   Blazers take Jordan at No. 2 and 
Blazers' choice is questioned       announce they will play him 
immediately--though the skepticism  alongside their other young 
is not widespread. Most             shooting guard, Clyde Drexler. The 
doubters are concerned more with    Bulls are left choosing between 
Bowie's past leg injuries than      Bowie, Melvin Turpin, Sam Perkins 
with any notion Jordan will become  and Charles Barkley at No. 3. They 
the game's ultimate icon.           opt for Barkley. 
 
2 From his first day in the NBA,    2 Because the Blazers are stacked 
Jordan is dazzling. He scores 22    at the wing positions with Kiki 
points in the fourth quarter of     Vandeweghe, Jim Paxson and 
his third game. He has a 45-point   Drexler, Jordan finds playing time 
game before the season is barely a  hard to come by early in his rookie 
month old. The Bulls, 27-55 the     season. Ramsay brings Jordan 
previous season, start 7-3 and go   along slowly, and Olajuwon--the 
on to reach the playoffs. Jordan    first rookie to secure a contract 
averages 28.2 points and is named   with seven-figure salaries--steals 
Rookie of the Year.                 the rookie spotlight. He teams with 
                                    7-4 Ralph Sampson to form an 
                                    inside combination that towers 
                                    over the league. Olajuwon averages 
                                    20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.7 
                                    blocks and is an easy choice for 
                                    top rookie. 
 
3 For years, Michael Jordan is      3 After seeing enough promise in 
considered by many to be a flashy   the Jordan-Drexler duo in their 
dunker and big-time scorer who      first two seasons together, the 
would be fortunate to win a single  Blazers ship Paxson, Vandeweghe and 
championship. Of course, no one     Kevin Duckworth to the Jazz for a 
today would admit to ever thinking  defensive stopper, 7-3 Mark Eaton, 
such a thing, not after the Bulls   and speedy point guard Rickey Green 
stampeded through the 1990s with a  before the 1986-87 season. The 
pair of threepeats.                 Blazers take off. Jordan, Drexler 
                                    and Green suffocate opponents 
          ...