FWIW, Wikipedia is not a very credible source.

True. Anyone can edit Wikipedia.

OK, then ESPN on "You Cannot Blame" show on ESPN Classic said that Bowie spent two seasons out with leg injuries and even said that when he did play he hardly played a complete season because of constant injuries. Whether it is a completely credible source or not, this was the issue with Bowie and many people looked at his college history as an indication of his problems he had in the NBA as it related to injury.

Peace

This is more like choosing between Olajuwon and Jordan. Bowie wasn't all that good when he was healthy.

IMO, Oden is a once per generation talent. Durant is a wing. There are great wing players every year. You pays your nickel, you takes your choice.

Funny. That's probably what Portland said that year as well.

I think that had more to do with Jordan's development than the decline of the other teams. Jordan and company beat some decent teams on their way to the top.

Durant is no different than a Kevin Garnett or Tracy McGrady and how many titles do these guys have? KG and McGrady have a hard time making the playoffs or getting past the 1st round.

Oden is going to be a great player or a player that will influence his team a lot more because he is dedicated to playing around the basket on both ends. Not to say Durant will not be a similar player. Durant averaged more blocks than Oden did during this past season. So it is possible that Durant will be one of the all time greats. Durant is a swing player and is more likely to be a shooter and a slashers. Oden's style of can benefit a team without being a dominate scorer. If Ben Wallace could score a little bit, the Bulls would have beat the Pistons. You can always find slashers with decent shooting ability. You cannot find true center players that actually want to be around the basket on both ends of the floor.

Peace

Yes, but how much of this is due to individual ability and how much is due to the organizations they belong to?

From a 1984 post, if the Internet existed back then:

"Actually, I think Bowie would be a good fit for Portland. I believe Jordan is the better player, but he's not someone the Blazers need right now. Clyde Drexler is the same type player and is already here and had a good rookie season...what Portland needs right now is a rebounder and defensive presence in the middle - that would be Bowie, not Jordan..." :D


Based on how history played out, we know that Jordan would have been the better pick.

Bowie played 34 games, 28 games, and 34 games in the three seasons he played. That's 96 games with an average of almost 29 minutes per game. So to say that he missed much of his career is not true.

Face it or not guys, Portland ****ed up.

I will say it this way. Tracy McGrady has been on several teams and he cannot lift his team to the next level. The Bulls were terrible when Jordan got there but he lifted that team to a contender and shined even when he was out matched by a better team. KG can hardly make the playoffs each year. KG has had many players around him that should help the team and for some reason it just never happens. Great players should at least lift their teams into the playoffs and the second round.

Peace

Bowie was at Kentucky for 5 years for a McDonald's All-American. This was a time when players of that caliber did not red shirt and still to this day players like that do not red shirt.

Peace

One of those two missed seasons was a red-shirt season. So, he played games in three seasons and sat out two.

Even with his problems, he's at near the top of a lot of several UK statistical catagories...even only playing 3 years.

• Career scoring #27: ahead of Scott Padgett, Randolph Morriss Rex Chapman Jamaal Magloire, Antoine Walker, Derek Anderson.
• Rebounds #8: Ahead of Magloire, Tayshaun Prince, Pat Riley, Scott Padgett, Randolph Morris, Walter McCarty
• Blocked Shots #3: Ahead of Tayshaun Prince, Nazr Mohammed, Chuck Hayes, Randolph Morriss, Kenny Walker, Scott Padgett, Jamal Mashburn, Antoine Walker, Rex Champman

http://bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statist...Bowie_Sam.html
http://www.michaeljordansworld.com/college_stats.htm


He was 2nd Team All American in 81 as a sophomore and 84 as a senior (did not play in 82 and 83)

Hindsight is clear, he turned out to be a poor choice for the Blazers but looking at his numbers in college, he was a good pick. While he had some major injury trouble in college, perhaps the doctors all throught it was a 1 time problem.

If you were looking for a rebounding shot blocker, Bowie beat Jordan soundly...at the time... averaging almost 10 RPG and 2.3 Blocks per game versus Jordan's 5 rebounds and 0.7 blocks. If you were looking for a scorer or someone who could steal the ball, Jordan was the man. Jordan's assists were only marginally better than Bowie's.

They were simply differnet players...with similarly impressive college performances in differnet facets of the game. One went on to be the best player ever the other went on to a career of injuries....never having the opportunity to display what he could or couldn't do. I doubt he would have ever been as good as Jordan became...but that doesn't say anything about the quality of Portland's pick. Their choice at the time made sense given they already had a top scorer in Drexler.

You draft what you need, you don't draft for potential. Bowie at the time was a very good intelligent pick for Portland and I would have selected him over Jordan with Clyde already on my team, come on!! That's a no-brainer. You going to built around Clyde, and what does he need, a rebounder and force underneath. Bowie was a gamble you had to take. In no-way do you pass on Oden. That would border line be a crime punishable by impeachment of the owner by the fans.

I recently saw a commercial with Reggie Bush who was talking about how great New Orleans was and how they embraced him there, etc. The punch line of the commercial was thanks for passing on me in the first round. I hope Portland doesn't make the same mistake. We have had some legitimate players coming out of the draft as of late.

Those statements tell me all I need to know! If Old School disagrees with me, I lnow I'm right!!! :D

LOL...but you have to remember that I'm not a Blazers fan! Like I said, I WANT them to pick Oden so Seattle can take Durant!