Dennis Rodman was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the 27th pick in the 1986 NBA Draft. What if he’d been drafted...
- 12th by the Washington Bullets (who took John Williams)?
- 14th by the Portland Trail Blazers (who took Walter Berry, who never played a game for the Blazers and eventually got traded to the San Antonio Spurs)?
- 18th by the Denver Nuggets (who took Mark Alarie)?
- 23rd by the Los Angeles Lakers (who took Ken Barlow, who never ended up playing in a single NBA game)?
Bullets: Maybe they get a round further in the 88 playoffs (in OTL, they took the Pistons to five games in the first round before losing), but they become irrelevant after that. I wonder if he becomes as famous as he did not playing on a World Championship Piston team.
Nuggets: They had two picks in the 1986 first round (16th and 18th). They could have had Rodman and Mark Price. If they take those guys, they probably get to the 1988 WCF (they won the 1988 Midwest Division title in OTL, and lost to Dallas in six games) and give the Lakers a run for their money. They may also win the Midwest in 89 as well, and maybe the team isn't blown up after the 1990 season.
Blazers: If they take Rodman instead of Walter Berry, and he makes an impact, they probably win the Finals in 1990, and in 91 more than likely. After that, it is hard to say because the team started to age, and the Bulls were hungry and ready to win.
Lakers: They probably three-peat to end the 80's, and they may win in 90 and 91 as well if Pat Riley doesn't push them too hard in this reality (that led him to leave the team and end up with the Knicks). The Magic HIV announcement still would have happened, though, and who knows if Rodman stays much longer after that because people may get traded not too long after that (in early 92, Worthy and Elden Campbell were almost traded for Charles Barkley).