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Best of the Rest
- The coin flip. The Rockets and Blazers flipped a coin for the top draft pick. Both wanted Hakeem Olajuwon. The Blazers called tails and lost. No one would have blamed them for taking Olajuwon with the top pick.
- Patrick Ewing's mother. Ewing stayed at Georgetown rather than enter the draft because he had promised his mother he would finish his college degree before going pro. Ewing would have been the Blazers' second choice behind Olajuwon.
- The Rockets. They also passed on Jordan, but no one blames them. Had Jordan never taken time off to play pro baseball, the Rockets may never have won their two championships with Olajuwon.
5. The draft is a crapshoot. Portland actually had a good track record in the draft, but there are no guarantees a pick will pan out.
4. Size matters. Before Jordan changed the game, championship teams were built around a big man.
3. Bill Walton: Portland wanted another superstar center.
2. Dean Smith: His offensive system didn't showcase Jordan's talents.
1. Clyde Drexler: the Blazers already had a playmaking shooting guard.