Nearly 40 years ago, the Houston Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon with the first pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. History shows this decision would benefit the franchise for years to come.
Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all-time, was selected right behind Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. While both parties found success, it’s interesting to wonder what would have happened if Houston drafted Michael Jordan instead.
To propose a plausible answer, the tool Basketball GM was used to replicate this scenario. This event causes a vast butterfly effect throughout the rest of the league, becoming more evident with each passing year.