Was Michael Jordan Responsible For Drafting Kwame Brown? David Falk Says No

This morning on the Junkies Radio show based out of Washington DC, David Falk threw out the notion that the Washington Wizards drafting Kwame Brown was not Michael Jordan’s decision. Falk was there to promote his new book, The Bald Truth, by the way.

Jordan, then the Washington Wizards President of Basketball Operations, has always been reported to be the man who made the decision. David Falk went on to mention that Jordan wanted Elton Brand and that it was others in the Washington Wizards front office that who to draft Brown.

The front office thought that Brown would be a great marketing effort because Brown would be the first high school player to be drafted in the NBA. Instead of drafting Brown, Falk said that Jordan wanted to trade the pick for Brand. We all know what happened thereafter.

The Sports Affiliate still believes that Brown was probably the worst decision the Wizards ever made. Forget all previous draft picks and trade. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to draft a player who will carry your franchise for the next 10 years. In that 2001 NBA draft class you had, Brown, Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Eddy Curry, Jason Richardson, Shane Battier, Eddie Griffin, Desagana Diop, Rodney White, and Joe Johnson.

The story here is who is telling the truth. We don’t believe that Jordan has ever made a statement that he was responsible for drafting Brown. The story goes back to July 16, 2001 as Sports Illustrated reported Ian Thomsen reported that the decision was made by Jordan over a one on one game between Brown and Chandler. The one on one game between the two saw Brown “dismantle” Chandler, for which Brown had a 15-pound weight advantage. Brown then proceeded to walk over to Jordan:

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"If you draft me first, I'll never disappoint you."

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On June 27 the pick was made by the Wizards.

Again, who made the decision here? The Wizards have blamed Jordan for the pick because of the bitter break up. Was it Abe Polin? Was it Susan O’Malley? Was it Wes Unseld?

Someone needs to look into this. Jordan’s general manager skills have repeatedly been questioned over the last couple of years. Jordan was said to have influenced the trading of Richard “Rip” Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse. In 2006, Jordan with the Charlotte Bobcats drafted 6’7” Adam Morrison and passed on Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy and Rudy Gay.

Jordan’s best move was probably in 2007 where he traded their eighth pick for Jason Richardson. As of 2008, player personnel moves are believed to be made by head coach Larry Brown. We will never find out the truth unless someone admits it.

I would have loved to have been in the war room in the summer of 2001 to see who was in charge. How things could have changed with Brand playing with Gilbert Arenas a couple of years later. How things could have changed with a now-developed Chandler. Then again, the Wizards wouldn’t have had their best transaction and perhaps one of the biggest steals of ever trading Brown for Caron Butler.

But why should we believe in Falk? He is by far probably Jordan’s biggest confidant as he is his agent. Why would Falk put Jordan to shame? Why wouldn’t Falk just let that subject alone when asked?

Someone needs to get deeper into this, as a Washington Wizards fan that would pay $4,000 for season tickets, I want answers. Those agonizing nights of watching Brown literally do nothing on the court. Those agonizing nights of me losing my voice screaming at him from behind the visitor’s bench.