Benedict Finch
Since their first season in 1966, the Chicago Bulls have built a reputable NBA legacy with some of America’s finest players. Thanks to these stars, the Bulls have amassed multiple accolades, including six NBA championships and six conference titles. This list celebrates 15 iconic players who donned the red and black, each leaving their unique imprint on the franchise.
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman, or “The Worm,” rewrote the art of rebounding during his time with the Bulls. Joining the team in 1995, he secured three consecutive championships from 1996 to 1998. Off the court, Rodman’s lively personality and versatile dressing and makeup style made him a pop culture icon, further elevating the Bulls’ global profile.
Michael Jordan
Often considered the greatest basketball player, Jordan’s global appeal made the Bulls and the NBA a worldwide affair. His unmatched scoring ability and fierce competitiveness were the driving force behind the team’s six NBA championships in the 1990s. Jordan’s accolades with the Bulls are staggering: five MVP awards, six Finals MVPs, and ten scoring titles.
Chet Walker
Though Walker was not highly awarded, he took the Bulls from expansion struggles to formidable contenders in the NBA. Walker joined the Bulls in 1969, where he spent the last six years of his career. During those years, he earned four All-Star titles and never scored below 19.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Scottie Pippen
In 1996, the NBA ranked Scottie Pippen among the top 50 basketball players ever—a recognition he earned with the Chicago Bulls. Pippen was always passionate about the game and often played through painful injuries. Pippen played 12 of his 17 NBA seasons with the Bulls, winning six NBA championships and seven All-Star Awards.
Jerry Sloan
Also known as “The Original Bull,” Sloan was among the first players to join the Chicago Bulls in 1966. With a scoring average of 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, he earned two All-Star selections and made the All-Defensive Team six times. In 1976, he retired due to knee injuries but remained with the Bulls until 1982 as a coach.
Artis Gilmore
Standing at 7’2″, Gilmore, nicknamed the “A-Train,” was an imposing player for the Bulls. In a 1977 game against the Kansas City Kings, he scored a record-high 42 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists. A-Train was one of the most formidable centers of his era, earning four All-Stars with the team.
Bob Love
Most fans recognize this star by his nickname, “Butterbean,” but he was also a scoring machine for the Bulls throughout the 1970s. Love averaged 21 points and 8.7 rebounds per game during his eight years with the Bulls, earning three All-Star selections. Post-retirement, he serves the Bulls as a goodwill ambassador and director of community affairs.
Horace Grant
It’s hard to forget a player who bounded onto the court with trademark goggles that fans raved about. Horace Grant’s inspiring presence was vital to the Bulls’ first three-peat from 1991 to 1993. He averaged 15.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game and, alongside Jordan and Pippen, provided stellar defense, rebounding, and timely scoring.
Derrick Rose
The Bulls had mediocre seasons in the 2000s until players like Derrick Rose were drafted. Rose was the Bulls’ first overall pick in 2008 and soon became an asset to the franchise, winning the Rookie of the Year honor in 2009. Three years after being drafted, Rose bagged an MVP, becoming the youngest player to achieve that status at age 22.
Steve Kerr
During his five seasons with the Bulls, Kerr was a deadly, accurate three-point shooter who won three NBA championships from 1996 to 1998. His shooting flair made him an invaluable player alongside superstars like Jordan. But Kerr’s most memorable feat was hitting the championship-winning shot in the 1997 NBA Finals with an incredible 17-foot jump.
Joakim Noah
Noah became a Bulls fan favorite from 2007 to 2016 thanks to his passionate play and unique personality. As the team’s center defense, he earned two All-Star selections and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2014. Noah’s career triple-double of 23 points and 21 rebounds in a 2013 game highlights his contributions to the Bulls.
Ron Harper
Harper’s input in the team often flew under the radar, but his scoring average of 6.3 to 11.2 points and stellar defense were vital to the team’s success. Following his drafting in 1994, Harper embraced a reduced offensive role to focus on perimeter defense. This was crucial to the Bulls’ second three-peat from 1996 to 1998.
Toni Kukoc
The Croatian forward joined the NBA’s Chicago Bulls in 1993 despite his successful European basketball career. At first, Kukoc was devastated to have arrived just after Jordan’s retirement, missing a chance to play with the famous “Air Jordan.” Still, he played alongside legends like Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant and won the team three NBA championships.
Luol Deng
After a seven-year hiatus, the Chicago Bulls finally returned to the playoffs in the 2004 to 2005 season with the help of then-rookie Luol Deng. This was Deng’s first season when he suffered a severe wrist injury. Over the years, a similar injury resurfaced, but that didn’t stop Deng from securing two All-Star selections in 2012 and 2013.
Kirk Hinrich
Hinrich joined the Chicago Bulls in 2003, but many questioned his physical ability to play shooting guard due to his small build. However, he proved them wrong and became the season’s only rookie to get a triple-double: 11 points and 12 rebounds per game. Hinrich was also named the team’s MVP in the 2003 to 2004 season.