The exploration and encounters of the players of the 1984 draft and their teams lead to a huge change of the draft philosophy.
The Big Man v. The Guard
In 1984, everyone believed that you win with size. So when Portland pulled one of the all-time draft blunders by drafting Sam Bowie #2 over Jordan who became the biggest NBA bust of all times, this had a significant effect on how the NBA viewed the big man. Since 1984, teams have more often went after the best available player. Because of the success of Jordan, Barkley, & Stockton , the idea of drafting a big man over a guard every time was no longer in vogue. Mostly due to Jordan's success, the game has evolved from a battle of the big men into a game where players such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade can dominate the game just as much, if not more, than centers such as Dwight Howard. Today, a Sam Bowie type player would never be selected over a Michael Jordan type, no matter if the team selecting needed a center and was set at guard. Now, 26 years later, Jordan, Barkley, et. al have all retired, but their impact on the game is still being felt today. -The Canon Review
The Foreign-Born Player
When the draft began, foreign players were not selected. Over the years, a few foreign players were drafted but none made the major impact that Hakeem Olajuwan did. He was the first international player picked first overall. His success caused NBA teams to take more notice of foreign-born players. The following year in 1985, another foreign player was picked first, Patrick Ewing. Then over the next 10 years, the trend to pick international players increased. Tim Duncan became the 3rd foreign player to become a first round pick. This trend showed how NBA teams are expanding the way they are selecting players in the draft, which started in 1984 with the success of Olajuwan.