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Pacers Fan · 05-17-2007, 02:09 PM

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A simple flip of a 100-year-old silver dollar on May 19, 1983, turned out to have a major impact on the franchise's future. Not so much because of the outcome, but because of a declined trade offer a few days before the draft.

Imagine a Pacers roster with Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan. It could have happened, if not for a couple of twists of fate.

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If the Pacers would bow out of the coin flip and guarantee the Rockets the top pick, Houston would turn over its No. 3 overall pick in that year's draft, its first-round pick in 1984 and their choice of Caldwell Jones or Muncie native Allen Leavell.

Herb and Mel Simon had been approved as the Pacers' new owners by the NBA's Board of Governors on May 9, however, and the sale had not been legally consummated with the previous owners.

"I didn't even officially own the team," Herb Simon recalled Wednesday. "The papers weren't signed. I had no ability to make any trades or do anything. I was just there for the coin flip."

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The Rockets took Sampson, while the Pacers filled a need by taking the second-best big man, Steve Stipanovich. Neither choice worked out as hoped long term, however.

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Stipanovich played five seasons for the Pacers, averaging 13.2 points and 7.8 rebounds, before a dead spot in his left knee that prevented blood flow to a bone prompted retirement.

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The agonizing part for Pacers fans is what might have been. Had they taken Houston's pre-flip offer, and assuming Stipanovich had been picked second, they could have taken a good player -- perhaps future Hall of Famer Drexler -- with the third overall pick. Drexler, who was drafted 14th by Portland, went on to average 20.4 points over 15 seasons.

Worse yet, Sampson didn't have an immediate impact on Houston's record, so the Rockets were back for the coin flip again in '84. They won again after Portland -- which owned a pick acquired from the Pacers three years earlier -- guessed tails and the coin came up heads. The Rockets took future league MVP Olajuwon, who led title runs in 1994 and '95.

The Pacers could have drafted Olajuwon had they been able -- and willing -- to accept Houston's offer the previous season. They also could have been in position to take Jordan if former coach Jack McKinney had not traded their future first-round pick to Portland in 1981 for journeyman center Tom Owens.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../1088/SPORTS04

**Knick_Killer31** · 05-17-2007, 06:47 PM

I think im going to be sick.

Grangerx33 · 05-17-2007, 08:03 PM

All of this would pretty much cancel out Reggie. I had too many great memories with him to care about this too much. I might not even be a Pacer fan without Reggie, had all this happened, I probably wouldn't be on the Pacers board.

Auggie · 05-18-2007, 07:35 AM

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Originally Posted by Grangerx33

All of this would pretty much cancel out Reggie. I had too many great memories with him to care about this too much. I might not even be a Pacer fan without Reggie, had all this happened, I probably wouldn't be on the Pacers board.

very true

agreed. plus thats like centuries ago.. doesnt bother me much..

**Knick_Killer31** · 05-18-2007, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grangerx33

All of this would pretty much cancel out Reggie. I had too many great memories with him to care about this too much. I might not even be a Pacer fan without Reggie, had all this happened, I probably wouldn't be on the Pacers board.

Same here man. I'm here today because of Reggie. But still...just knowing that we could've had 3 legends just hurts.

**PaCeRhOLiC** · 05-23-2007, 07:32 AM

Give me Reggie over any of them, any day of the week homey....

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