Jordan Outpolls Olajuwon, 57 1/2 Votes to 20 1/2, as the NBA Rookie of the Year

Michael Jordan, whose flashy style and impressive statistics earned him All-Star status, fan popularity and more than $2 million in endorsement contracts, was named NBA Rookie of the Year Thursday.

Jordan, the Chicago Bulls’ guard who was the No. 3 pick in last year’s NBA draft, outpolled the No. 1 choice, Houston’s Akeem Olajuwon, 57 1/2 votes to 20 1/2. Jordan and Olajuwon were the only two first-year players to receive votes from 78 media members, three from each league city and nine representatives of the national media.

Jordan was third in the NBA in scoring with a 28.2-point average and fourth in steals with 2.39 per game. He led the Bulls, who made the playoffs for the first time since 1981, in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Average attendance at Chicago jumped dramatically, climbing 87% from an average of 6,365 to 11,887.

Olajuwon, playing center for Houston, averaged 20.6 points, ranked fourth in the NBA with 11.9 rebounds and was second in blocked shots with 2.68 per game.

“I just feel it is very important for each individual to go out and contribute to his team,” Jordan said of his rivalry with Olajuwon. “I’m not worried about a one-on-one thing because he’s much bigger than I am.”

Jordan is 6-6 and Olajuwon 7-0.