The Chicago Bulls are one of the greatest franchises in the world, not only in basketball but in sports in general. Certainly, in this century they have not been a successful team, but the 1990s was a golden era and Michael Jordan turned the franchise into one of the best-known and most respected in history.
This team has gone through ups and downs, it has had memorable moments, but it has also had terrible moments. There are several facts, statistics, and curiosities that can be very interesting. Without further ado, let’s take a look at 10 things from Chicago Bulls history NBA fans should know.
10/10 One Of Three Teams With A Three-Peat
Only three teams in NBA history have achieved a Three-Peat, that is, three consecutive championship victories. We are talking about the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics, and the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls won two Three-Peats in a decade, separated by Michael Jordan’s first NBA retirement.
Some believe that if MJ didn’t retire, the Bulls would have won eight straight titles, which doesn’t sound far-fetched. It looks like it will be many more years for a team to win three straight titles, as not even the mighty Golden State Warriors managed to do it.
9/10 Michael Jordan & Derrick Rose Are Their Only MVP Winners
Throughout Chicago Bulls history, only two players have been named MVP, Michael Jordan, and Derrick Rose. “His Airness” won the MVP award five times (1987-88, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, and 1997-98).
For his part, Derrick Rose was named MVP of the 2010-11 season, when he averaged 25.0 points, 7.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game, with a 6.7 Value Over Replacement Player. Artis Gilmore and Chet Walker had amazing seasons as well, but they couldn’t take the honors.
8/10 Benny The Bull
The team mascot is Benny The Bull, who happens to be one of the most controversial mascots in the NBA. If you look at Benny’s horns, you’ll notice that they have a red spot on the tip, which represents blood. Maybe you can justify it with the wild and competitive spirit of the franchise, but you have to admit that it’s not nice to imagine that Benny murdered a person or something like that.
Another curious fact about Benny The Bull is that he showed a rebellious and disrespectful attitude during some games, and he was even kicked off the court on one occasion.
7/10 168 Points In A Game
The highest-scoring game in franchise history was on March 1, 2019. They scored 168 points that night against the Atlanta Hawks, who scored 161. Yes, that game was insane, as it took four overtimes for one side to prevail.
Zach LaVine recorded 47 points, while Otto Porter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen scored 31 each. For the Hawks, Trae Young put on a clinic with 49 points, 16 assists, and 8 rebounds.
6/10 11 NBA Hall Of Famers
Throughout their history, the Chicago Bulls have had 11 NBA Hall of Famers. They are Ben Wallace, Chet Walker, Artis Gilmore, Guy Rodgers, Nate Thurmond, George Gervin, Robert Parish, Toni Kukoc, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan.
The last five played together in the 1996-97 season and obviously became NBA champions. Who will be the next NBA Hall of Famer for the Bulls? Frankly, it doesn’t look like there will be one anytime soon.
5/10 Magic Johnson Was Almost A Bull
The first overall pick of the 1979 NBA Draft was decided by flipping a coin. The flip side of the coin favored the Los Angeles Lakers, who ended up selecting Magic Johnson.
However, in a parallel universe, the coin flipped and gave the first overall pick to the Chicago Bulls and, therefore, Johnson became the franchise player and Michael Jordan ended up on another team. It’s unbelievable how basketball history can be changed by a coin.
4/10 Worst Draft Picks
Instead of selecting Magic Johnson, the Chicago Bulls ended up selecting Dave Greenwood, who was not a bad player, but definitely did not live up to expectations. Jay Williams was also one of the worst picks by the Bulls, as he was set to be a great player and his career ended due to a motorcycle accident after his first season.
Scott May was probably the worst pick in franchise history, as he was the second overall pick in the 1976 draft and posted a Player Efficiency Rating of 13.9 and a Value Over Replacement Player of 1.6 in five years with the team.
3/10 Favorite Victim
The Chicago Bulls have a winning record against 19 of the NBA’s 29 teams, including the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, and their long-time rivals, the Detroit Pistons.
But the team they have been most dominant against is the Charlotte Hornets, as they have 77 wins and 45 losses against them in the regular season, for an extraordinary .631 winning percentage. The Chicago Bulls are a nightmare for the Charlotte Hornets.
2/10 Bulls’ Nightmare
Speaking of nightmares, the Chicago Bulls also have their own nightmare, the San Antonio Spurs. They have met 95 times, Chicago won 36 while San Antonio was victorious in 59 games, which means a terrible winning percentage of .379.
However, in the Michael Jordan era, the Bulls had a 14-10 record over the Spurs. The Bulls have also not fared well against the Los Angeles Lakers (65-94), the Denver Nuggets (42-56), or the Philadelphia 76ers (106-132).
1/10 One Of The Most Valuable Sports Teams In The World
According to Forbes, the Chicago Bulls are the 38th most valuable franchise in the world, with a value of $3.65 billion. That’s a ridiculous amount considering Jerry Reinsdorf bought the team for $16.5 million in 1985.
This franchise has a rich history, dominated the NBA for almost a decade, and was home to one of the greatest athletes of all time, and all of that is taken into account in determining its value.