RARE AIR, THE DREAM, SIR CHARLES AND THE RAVING MANIAC....THE SUMMER OF 1984

The Summer of 1984 was an eventful 3 months for new Commissioner David Stern and the NBA; on the heels of an epic 7-game Finals slugfest between Larry Bird’s World Champion Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers, the first of 3 heavyweight bouts in the Decade, the NBA Draft was held in New York City; the Draft would introduce fans to 4 future Hall of Famers who would each write their own chapter in the NBA’s History Books. There was Forward Charles Barkley of Auburn, the rowdy, raucous “Round Mound of Rebound”, his polar opposite, little-known Guard John Stockton of Gonzaga, the majestic Nigerian Center and Number One pick  Akeem “The Dream” Olajuwon from the University of Houston, and the electric (Cue Chicago Bulls Public Address Announcer …”6 foot 6 Guard from North KAR-O-LINA!”)…Michael Jeffrey Jordan. These next-level players would secure the NBA’s rapidly growing stature as the Sport of the Future, with Bird and Magic now at the peak of their powers.  Jordan, Georgetown Center Patrick Ewing and 10 of College Basketball’s best would represent USA Basketball in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, led by iconic and infamous Coach Bobby Knight of Indiana University. Knight, known lovingly as a “Raving Maniac” by his players brought his no-nonsense, drill-sergeant mentality to the USA program and molded yet another Gold Medal Winner. The agony and ecstacy of the Draft process, with its Franchise-changing consequences were never more evident than the summer of ’84.