There have been many great players to don the Chicago Bulls uniform over the years. But when it comes to the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan is always at the top of the list. However, there have been some amazing players who have come after him and had a huge impact on the team. In this article, we will take a look at five of those players!
Brief History
The Chicago Bulls are a professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They were founded in 1966 and play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Bulls have won six NBA championships, including five consecutive titles between 1991 and 1998. They are one of only two teams in NBA history to win more than 70 games in a single season, and they hold the record for the most wins in a single season with 72.
Over the years, there have been changes in the Chicago Bulls jerseys, and the team has produced many great players, who have made a huge impact on the team. Here are five of the greatest that aren’t nicknamed ‘Air.’
1. Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose, nicknamed ‘D-Rose,’ is a former professional basketball player who played for the Chicago Bulls from 2008 to 2016. He was drafted first overall by the Bulls in the 2008 NBA draft and went on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
In 2010–11, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player and led the Bulls to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 1998. He was traded to the New York Knicks in 2016 and later played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves.
2. Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol is a Spanish professional basketball player who played for the Chicago Bulls from 2014 to 2016. He was drafted third overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2001 NBA draft and traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He won two NBA championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. He signed with the Bulls in 2014 and helped the team make the playoffs in 2015 and 2016.
Gasol is a six-time NBA All-Star and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2002. He is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
3. Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah played for the Chicago Bulls from 2007 to 2016. He was drafted ninth overall by the Bulls in the 2007 NBA draft. He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2014 and was named to the NBA All-Star team in 2013 and 2014. He helped the Bulls make the playoffs nine times in his ten seasons with the team.
Noah was traded to the New York Knicks in 2016 and later played for the Memphis Grizzlies. He is a two-time Olympic silver medalist.
4. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler was drafted 30th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2011 NBA draft. He played for the Bulls from 2011 to 2017 and was named an NBA All-Star in 2015 and 2016. He was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017 and later played for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butler is a three-time NBA All-Star and was named the NBA Most Improved Player in 2015. He was also a member of the USA Basketball team that won a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
5. Taj Gibson
Taj Gibson was drafted 26th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2009 NBA draft. He played for the Bulls from 2009 to 2017 and helped the team make the playoffs seven times. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017 and later signed with the New York Knicks.
Gibson is a two-time NBA All-Star and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2011. He won a gold medal with the USA Basketball team at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
These five players have all made a huge impact on the Chicago Bulls organisation. They have all helped the team achieve success, both on and off the court. What do you think of this list? Who would you add or remove? Let us know in the comments!
