Image via the Chicago Tribune
Well I think it might be safe to say that more than 20 years after the end of the Chicago Bulls dynasty, they still can be one of the most unifying teams in America. As ESPN’s 10-part series on Michael Jordan’s iconic Bulls has proved, the team still resonates deeply within the American sports culture. With viewership for the first part of the special coming in at a whopping 6.1 million, America made its voice heard that they desperately still desire live sports in this peculiar time we are living in right now. As such, I felt there was no better time to spotlight some other members of those Bulls teams and their impact on the game of basketball in the 1990’s. Everyone of course knows Michael, Scottie and Dennis, but giving a spotlight to the other star players on those teams is a key element of how general manager Jerry Krause built those elite squads.
Horace Grant (1987-1994): A dominating presence on the glass during Chicago’s first three-peat, Grant made sports goggles one of the most popular fashion accessories during the early 1990’s. Drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 1987 N.B.A. Draft, Grant immediately became a key contributor to those early Bulls teams as they battled with the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons for Eastern Conference supremacy. After Jordan’s first retirement following the 1992–93 season, Grant became the number-two star behind Scottie Pippen, and helped the Bulls push the Knicks to seven games in the second-round playoff series before being eliminated. While he was eventually traded to the Orlando Magic before Jordan returned later in the decade, Grant was a key cog of those early Bulls teams that helped spark a dynasty.
Steve Kerr (1993-1998): Though he is more widely-known now as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Kerr made a name for himself on the Bulls as a sharp-shooting point guard. An alumnus of the University of Arizona, Kerr became a key rotational piece for the second three-peat by utilizing his high basketball IQ and court savvy. With Jordan back full-time for the 1995–96 season, the Bulls set a then NBA-record of 72–10 and defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals. Kerr played a major part in the Bulls’ championship victory in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. In the final seconds of Game 6 with the score tied at 86, he took a pass from Jordan and hit the title-winner to secure Chicago’s fifth world title. Kerr has since gone on to become a three-time N.B.A as head coach of the Warriors. Also according to Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune, Kerr was Bulls head coach Phil Jackson’s recommendation when people asked him about hiring a coach.
John Paxson (1985-1994): Signing as a free agent with Chicago in 1985, the same year Jordan was drafted, the crafty Notre Dame point guard made a name for himself by continually hitting clutch shots and giving the team some grit. While never the fastest player on the court, Paxson did hit a clutch shot to help secure the team’s third consecutive world title as the Bulls knocked off the Suns in 1993. Paxson is still involved with the Bulls as a senior advisor and had a solid career as general manager of the team from 2003 to 2009. He also is in some ways was the spiritual successor to Kerr running the point for Chicago.
Toni Kukoc (1993-2000): A member of the FIBA Hall of Fame, Kukoc’s tenure with the Bulls started on rocky terms as he was picked as the successor to Jordan and Pippen’s success according to then general manager Jerry Krause. While Krause never made the terrible business decision to completely relinquish the franchise to Kukoc, he did find a way to help all the personalities gel together — at his own expense most of the time. A three-time champion with the Bulls and the 1996 Sixth Man of the Year, Kukoc was a solid starter for Chicago following Horace Grant’s departure. Though he might not have had the strongest relationship with the team, he was still able to become a decisive cog in their arsenal.
Well let me know in the comments below what you think about the list and if I missed anyone. Also make sure to check out “The Last Dance” as well!
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