NBA analyst Michael Wilbon still remembers a pivotal moment for Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards leading up to the 2001 Draft. At that time, Wilbon revealed that Jordan was seriously contemplating the possibility of selecting Pau Gasol, a European big man whose remarkable skills and immense potential had captured his attention.
In the quest to secure a future star for the Wizards with their coveted No. 1 pick, MJ, as the team’s executive, aimed to make a decision that would not only elevate Washington’s performance but also ensure long-term success. Gasol’s impressive abilities left a lasting impression on Jordan, fueling the hope that he could be the transformative player the franchise desperately needed.
Advertisement
Despite this consideration, the Wizards ultimately opted to draft Kwame Brown instead of Gasol, a choice that would later haunt MJ and the franchise.
“Michael flew Pau Gasol in and worked him out before the draft. Nobody had taken a foreign-born player or a high school guy with the first pick. But it wasn’t automatic that year, the one time the Wizards got the first pick,” Wilbon revealed via Boardroom. “Think of how great he would’ve been in the triangle. And he was, obviously.”
“I remember Michael telling me one time, ‘Man, this kid from Spain…’ I go, ‘The kid from Spain who looked like Big Bird at the time?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, he’s incredible. He’s very talented.’ You go back to knowing what you know now,” he vividly recalled.
Pau would’ve been a perfect partner for MJ
Jordan’s assessment of Gasol was remarkably accurate. The Spaniard concluded his debut season with the Memphis Grizzlies, earning the title of Rookie of the Year after averaging an impressive tally of 17.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks over the course of 79 games.
Recognizing Pau’s immense talent and potential, Wilbon understood that Gasol was precisely the type of player that Jordan needed at that point in his career and not Brown. For Wilbon, it would’ve been a delight to witness the significant impact that Gasol could have had alongside Jordan on a team looking to elevate its performance and achieve greatness.
Advertisement
“Those first few years for Pau weren’t all kisses and candy, but Memphis won 50 games,” Wilbon pointed out. “They were a playoff team. I’m a big Pau guy. It could’ve been so different. There are a couple of ifs on that one. [Duke’s] Jay Williams is my dear friend, but he should’ve taken Pau Gasol instead of Kwame.”
Apart from Gasol, Duke guard Jay Williams was also on Jordan’s wish list that year. However, Williams opted to play one more year for Duke and got drafted the following year instead. Looking back, Williams himself also believed Pau and MJ would’ve made a dynamic duo in Washington.
“Pau would’ve been great. As a scoring guard? The triangle wasn’t built for me to succeed. But for wings and bigs? The triangle is set for them to succeed with the amount of times they touch [the ball] in the pinch post and the actions that come out of it,” Williams assessed. “It’s perfectly set.”
“Having Pau Gasol coming from Europe? A lot of guys coming from Europe have basketball IQs that are so advanced,” he added. “It would’ve been perfectly suited for him. Playing along Mike, who masterminded it? That would’ve leveraged Pau very quickly.”
Advertisement
MJ took responsibility for drafting a bust
Talent evaluation was one of Jordan’s jobs as an executive of the Wizards. During his tenure with the team, he took this duty seriously and he was even hands-on in performing it.
Jordan boasts an extraordinary resume as a player, with numerous accolades and records that have led many to regard him as arguably the greatest player of all time. However, the same thing cannot be said about his capabilities as a talent evaluator.
Unlike his on-court prowess, MJ’s track record in assessing talent and player potential has not reached the same level of acclaim. Gasol turned out to be a superstar in the making, but Jordan still picked Brown, a high schooler who ended up being a bust.
Advertisement
As expected, MJ was heavily criticized for drafting Kwame until he admittedly got tired of it.
“It’s a gamble,” Jordan said via ESPN. “Even with Kwame Brown. If we don’t take Kwame Brown at No. 1, he’s going at 2. No matter how you look at it, everybody has him on their radar as the top pick. We just so happened to be the top pick, and we chose him. It didn’t pan out, and we will take the brunt of that. We understand that. It’s the risk that you take.”
In retrospect, it’s hard to tell what could have happened if Jordan and Gasol played together in Washington. They may not guarantee a championship for the Wizards, but it’s safe to say they would’ve made a legendary tandem.