The Chicago Bulls weren
The Chicago Bulls weren't the first professional basketball
team in the Windy City, that distinction is held by the defunct Chicago Stags
franchise. After the stags folded in 1950, the Packers/Zephyrs would become the
next NBA team in Chicago. This franchise would relocate to Baltimore in 1964 and
become the Bullets and eventually the Washington Wizards.
In 1967, the Bulls became Chicago's third NBA team. This team
was immediately competitive and made the playoffs eight times in their first
nine years. From 1976 to 1984 the Bulls made the playoffs only twice even though
Reggie Theus and Artis Gilmore were on the roster.
In 1984, the Bulls drafted Michael Jordan from the University
of North Carolina with the third pick and the rest is history. Some of that
history includes 13 trips to the playoffs in his 13 years with the team, 8 trips
to the Eastern Conference Finals, and 6 wins in 6 trips to the NBA Finals.
Between 1988 and 1990, the Bulls were stonewalled three times
by Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman and the rest of the "Bad Boys"
Detroit Pistons. After finally defeating the Pistons in in four games in the
1991 Eastern Conference Finals, the Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers of
Magic Johnson and James Worthy in 5 games.
1992 saw the Bulls finish the regular season with a 67-15
record. In the playoffs they defeated Glen Rice's Miami Heat in 3 games, Patrick
Ewing's Knicks in 7, and Brad Daugherty's Cleveland Cavaliers in 2. In the
Finals, they defeated Clyde Drexler's Portland Trailblazers in 6 games.
The 1993 Bulls went 57-25 during the regular season en route
to a 15-4 postseason. Dominique Wilkins's Atlanta Hawks fell in 3 games, Brad
Daugherty's Cavaliers in 4, and Ewing's Knicks in 6. The Bulls then defeated
Charles Barkley's Phoenix Suns in 6 games for their third straight title.
In Jordan's first full season back after retiring from
basketball following the 1993 season, the Bulls embarked on another three year
period of dominance. In 1996, they won an NBA record 72 games and finished the
postseason 15-3. Alonzo Mourning's Heat were the first to fall, in three games.
Next, the Bulls' great rivalry with Ewing's Knicks would last only 5 games.
After sweeping Shaq's Magic in 4 games, the Bulls were back in the Finals. The
Seattle Supersonics - led by Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton - had won a team record
64 games that year and would win two more in the Finals before falling in 6.
The next two season the Bulls would win 69 and 62 games
respectively. Each season resulted in a six game Finals defeat of the Utah Jazz
of Karl Malone and John Stockton. After the 1998 season, Jordan retired for the
second time and the Bulls entered into a rebuilding period from which they've
recently begun to emerge.
Some of the great players to have played for the Bulls are:
-
Bob Boozer (1967-69)
-
Elton Brand (2000-01)
-
Bill Cartwright (1989-1994)
-
George Gervin (1986) Hall of Famer
-
Artis Gilmore (1977-1984, 1987)
-
Ben Gordon (2005-)
-
Horace Grant (1988-1994)
-
Luol Deng (2005-)
-
Ron Harper (1995-1999)
-
Clem Haskins (1968-1970)
-
Kirk Hinrich (2004-)
-
Mickey Johnson (1975-79)
-
Michael Jordan (1985-1993, 1995-98) Hall of Famer
-
Bob Love (1969-1976)
-
Scottie Pippen (1988-1998, 2004)
-
Robert Parish (1997) Hall of Famer
-
Guy Rodgers (1967-68)
-
Dennis Rodman (1996-98)
-
Cazzie Russel (1978)
-
Jerry Sloan (1967-1976)
-
Reggie Theus (1979-1983)
-
Nate Thurmond (1975-76) Hall of Famer
-
Chet Walker (1970-1975)
-
Orland Woolridge (1982-86)
The design of the Chicago Bulls novelty fabric consists of
black and red squares. Within the squares are jerseys, basketballs and the
Bulls' logo.
This Chicago Bulls fabric is licensed by the NBA and is for
individual consumption. Any other use of this NBA fabric is prohibited and
illegal. The Chicago Bulls cotton fabric is not suitable for children's
sleepwear.