Chicago Bulls
On the 16th of January 1966, the National Basketball Association granted a franchise to Chicago. Dick Klein became the team's first general manager and president. He was the only owner in Bulls history who had played professional basketball for the Chicago American Gears. The new team played its first game on October 15 during the 1966, 67 season against the St. Louis Hawks. They won that opening matchup with an upset victory. The squad finished their inaugural year with a 33, 48 record. This performance marked the best result by any expansion team at that time. They also became the first expansion club to qualify for the playoffs. Guard Guy Rodgers led the league in assists while forward Jerry Sloan earned All-Star honors. Head coach Johnny Red Kerr received Coach of the Year awards for his work. The team initially played home games at the International Amphitheatre before moving to Chicago Stadium. Fan interest waned significantly over the next few seasons. Attendance dropped so low that one game in the 1967, 68 season drew just 891 spectators. Some matches were even relocated to Kansas City due to poor ticket sales. In 1969, Klein resigned as general manager. Pat Williams took over the role after gaining prominence with the Philadelphia 76ers. Williams revitalized the franchise through key roster changes. He introduced Benny the Bull as the team's first mascot. This move helped increase attendance and visibility for the organization. Under head coach Dick Motta, the Bulls made the playoffs four consecutive years. They set a franchise record of 57 wins during the 1972 season. Key players like Bob Love, Chet Walker, and Norm Van Lier anchored the squad. The team reached the conference finals twice between 1974 and 1975 but lost both series.
In the summer of 1984, the Bulls held the third pick in the NBA draft. Houston selected Hakeem Olajuwon while Portland chose Sam Bowie. Chicago picked shooting guard Michael Jordan. New management under owner Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Jerry Krause decided to rebuild around him. Jordan set franchise records for scoring and steals during his rookie campaign. He led the Bulls back to the playoffs where they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. The following off-season brought point guard John Paxson and power forward Charles Oakley. Center Dave Corzine provided much of the offense for the next two years. A broken foot sidelined Jordan early in the 1985, 86 season. He returned for the playoffs against the Boston Celtics. Jordan scored 63 points in Game 2 of that series. Larry Bird later called him God disguised as Michael Jordan. In the 1986, 87 season, Jordan led the league in scoring with 37.1 points per game. He became the first Bull named to the All-NBA First Team. The team won 50 games and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals. They were beaten by the Detroit Pistons in five games. The 1987, 88 season marked the start of a fierce rivalry with those Pistons. General manager Jerry Krause made major moves including trading Charles Oakley to the New York Knicks. They acquired center Bill Cartwright and three-point shooter Craig Hodges from Phoenix. Head coach Doug Collins was replaced by assistant Phil Jackson before the 1989, 90 season. The Bulls reached the Conference Finals again but lost to the Pistons for the third straight year. In 1990, 91, they recorded 61 wins and swept the defending champion Pistons in the Conference Finals. They defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals to win their first championship. Scottie Pippen established himself as one of the top players after Jordan's retirement announcement on the 6th of October 1993. The team won 55 games during the 1993, 94 season but lost to the Knicks in seven games. Michael Jordan returned from retirement on the 18th of March 1995. He scored 55 points against the Knicks in only his fifth game back. The Bulls moved into the United Center that same year. Dennis Rodman joined the roster via trade for rebounding specialist duties. The 1995, 96 squad posted a record 72, 10 regular season. They became the first team to win 70 or more games. Jordan won the MVP award while Rodman secured his fifth straight rebounding title. Steve Kerr finished second in three-point shooting percentage. The team triumphed over the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, and Seattle SuperSonics to claim their fourth title. They repeated as champions in 1996, 97 by defeating the Utah Jazz. The final three-peat concluded with a victory over the Jazz in 1998. Jordan hit the game-winning shot with 5.2 seconds remaining in Game 6. He retired for the second time on the 13th of January 1999.
The summer of 1998 marked the end of the championship era. General manager Jerry Krause traded Scottie Pippen for minimal returns. He let Dennis Rodman walk away and dealt other key players for draft picks. Coach Tim Floyd replaced Phil Jackson. Michael Jordan announced his second retirement leaving the Bulls with a new starting lineup featuring Toni Kukoč. The lockout-shortened 1998, 99 season included a record-low 49 points in a game against Miami. Winning the draft lottery allowed them to select Elton Brand. Despite his stellar rookie season, injuries and trades left the team floundering at 17, 65 in 1999, 2000. Attempts to attract top free agents failed completely. New additions like Brad Miller and Ron Mercer did not improve results. The franchise finished league-worst with a 15, 67 record the following season. Krause shocked fans by trading Brand for Tyson Chandler and drafting Eddy Curry. Without veteran leadership, the team struggled despite mid-season trades. A coaching change from Floyd to Bill Cartwright resulted in only 21 wins. Optimism returned in 2002, 03 with the addition of Jay Williams. Inconsistency limited progress to 30, 52 wins. Williams' career was derailed by a motorcycle accident. Pippen's return was marred by injuries throughout the 2003, 04 season. Scott Skiles took over as head coach after Cartwright's firing. A major trade shifted strategy to defense but the Bulls still finished 23, 59. Kirk Hinrich emerged as a fan favorite earning All-Rookie honors. Between 2004 and 2008, the organization underwent notable roster transformations. General Manager John Paxson acquired Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Chris Duhon in the 2004 NBA Draft. They signed Andrés Nocioni who won a gold medal with Argentina. Despite beginning the season with nine consecutive losses, the team recovered to finish 47, 35. This marked their first playoff appearance since 1998. Injuries to Deng and Eddy Curry contributed to a first-round exit against the Washington Wizards. Ben Gordon received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. During the 2005 off-season, Curry’s heart condition raised concerns leading to his trade to the New York Knicks. The Bulls struggled without a significant post presence but managed a 12, 2 late-season run finishing 41, 41. They qualified for the playoffs but were defeated by the Miami Heat. In the 2006 NBA Draft, they traded for Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha. Veteran defensive player Ben Wallace signed a four-year deal. Tyson Chandler was traded to the Hornets. Chicago recovered from a poor start to finish 49, 33. They swept the defending champion Miami Heat marking their first series victory since 1998. Their postseason ended in the next round with a 4, 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The 2007 off-season brought speculation of major trades involving Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, and Kobe Bryant. None materialized. The Bulls began the 2007, 08 season poorly leading to Scott Skiles' dismissal. Interim coach Jim Boylan could not reverse fortunes ending with 33, 49 wins. A midseason trade acquired Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes in exchange for Ben Wallace and Joe Smith. Boylan was not retained after the season. Vinny Del Negro became head coach supported by experienced assistants Del Harris, Bernie Bickerstaff, and Bob Ociepka.
With only a slim 1.7% chance of winning the rights to draft first overall, the Bulls won the 2008 NBA draft lottery. On the 26th of June 2008, they selected Chicago native Derrick Rose from the University of Memphis as number one pick. Sonny Weems went at number 39. The team later traded Weems to the Denver Nuggets for a second-round pick. They made several trades including bringing Ömer Aşık to the squad. Luol Deng re-signed on a six-year deal though he was sidelined due to injury. In February 2009, multiple trades strengthened the roster. One deal brought Brad Miller and John Salmons from the Sacramento Kings. Another acquisition came from the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first-round pick. These moves helped secure a playoff spot finishing .500 with 41, 41 wins. In the playoffs, they faced the Boston Celtics in a dramatic seven-game series. Derrick Rose scored 36 points along with 11 assists tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for most points by a rookie in a playoff debut. After breaking the record for most overtimes played in an NBA Playoffs Series, the Celtics managed to overcome the Bulls after 7 games and 7 overtime periods. The following season saw further trades sending John Salmons to Milwaukee and Tyrus Thomas to Charlotte. The Bulls finished eighth in the 2010 playoffs but were eliminated in five games by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Head coach Vinny Del Negro was fired in May 2010. Tom Thibodeau accepted a three-year contract as head coach on the 23rd of June 2010. Carlos Boozer verbally agreed to an $80 million, five-year contract on July 7. They traded Kirk Hinrich to Washington Wizards to create cap space. Kyle Korver signed a three-year, $15 million deal. Ömer Aşık joined the team that same day. Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Watson, Kurt Thomas, Keith Bogans, and Brian Scalabrine rounded out free agency signings. Rose earned the 2011 NBA MVP Award becoming the youngest player in history to win it. He became the first Bull since Michael Jordan to take home the award. Chicago finished with a league-best 62, 20 record clinching the first seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1998. The series against Miami Heat ended after losing four of five games. In the 2011 NBA draft, they selected Jimmy Butler at number 30. During the off-season, they signed Rip Hamilton to a three-year deal extending Derrick Rose's contract for five years at $94.8 million. Rose and Luol Deng earned All-Star selections during the 2011, 12 season marking the first Bulls duo in the game since Jordan and Pippen. Despite Rose missing much of the season due to injuries, the Bulls finished fifth overall with 50, 16 wins securing the top seed. Rose tore his ACL during Game 1 against Philadelphia 76ers sidelining him for the remainder of the series. Joakim Noah also sustained a foot injury during Game 3. The weakened team lost the series in six games becoming one of few first-seeded teams eliminated by an eighth-seed. Subsequent roster changes saw departures of Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson, and Ömer Aşık while adding Marco Belinelli, Nate Robinson, and Nazr Mohammed. Rose missed the entire 2012, 13 season yet the Bulls finished 45, 37 advancing to the second round after a seven-game victory over Brooklyn Nets. They were eliminated by Miami Heat in five games. During that season, the Bulls snapped both Miami's 27-game winning streak and New York Knicks' 13-game winning streak making them the second team in history to snap two such streaks in one year. In 2013, 14, Rose sustained another significant injury tearing his medial meniscus just 10 games into the season. Luol Deng was traded to Cleveland Cavaliers midseason receiving Andrew Bynum and draft picks though Bynum was immediately waived. Despite finishing 48, 34 earning home-court advantage, they were eliminated in the first round by Washington Wizards. Joakim Noah earned Defensive Player of the Year honors placing fourth in MVP voting. The 2014 off-season brought notable moves including acquiring Doug McDermott and signing veteran star Pau Gasol. Nikola Mirotić joined via a 2011 draft-day trade while Kirk Hinrich re-signed to bolster the roster.
The 2014, 15 season brought renewed optimism with Derrick Rose returning alongside Pau Gasol. Jimmy Butler rose as a primary scorer going from 13 to 20 points per game positioning him as Most Improved Player candidate. Gasol delivered consistent double-double performances adding value. Both Butler and Gasol made Eastern Conference All-Star teams. Despite this, the Bulls struggled with consistency in the second half of the season. Tensions between head coach Tom Thibodeau and front office leaders Gar Forman and John Paxson created internal instability. They finished 50, 32 securing third seed in Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they faced Milwaukee Bucks establishing a 3, 0 lead before allowing two wins. Game 6 saw them dominate winning by playoff-record 54 points advancing 4, 2. The next round featured Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James. A dramatic Game 3 win by Derrick Rose on a last-second three-pointer ended their run after losing 4, 2. Speculation about Thibodeau's future intensified due to ongoing tensions. On the 28th of May 2015, the Bulls fired Tom Thibodeau seeking change in approach. Fred Hoiberg became new head coach the following month. They selected center Bobby Portis from University of Arkansas in 2015 NBA Draft. Forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. was sidelined four months due to back surgery. Doug McDermott promoted to starting small forward position. Noah denied suggesting the move sparking distrust between him and Hoiberg. The team started strong posting 8, 3 record early but lost 12 of next 17 games. Jimmy Butler sidelined four weeks due to knee injury finishing 42, 40 eliminating them from playoff contention first time in eight years. In June 2016, they traded Derrick Rose, Justin Holiday, and 2017 second-round pick to New York Knicks for Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant, and José Calderón. Calderón later traded to Los Angeles Lakers. July brought signing of Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade. Michael Carter-Williams acquired via trade with Milwaukee Bucks. February 2017 saw Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott, and second-round pick traded to Oklahoma City Thunder for Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow, and Joffrey Lauvergne. Despite changes, Butler had standout season setting career highs earning All-Star honors and All-NBA third team selection. Bulls finished 41, 41 clinching eighth seed. They took surprising 2, 0 series lead over top-seeded Boston Celtics ultimately losing 4, 2. On the 17th of October 2017, a fight broke out between Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotić during practice. Portis punched Mirotić causing concussion and facial fractures. Portis suspended eight games while Mirotić missed 23 games. Incident led to Mirotić being traded to New Orleans Pelicans in February 2018 for draft pick and Ömer Aşık, Tony Allen, Jameer Nelson. Bulls finished 2017, 18 season 27, 55. In 2018, they drafted Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison re-signing Zach LaVine to four-year $78 million deal. Jabari Parker signed two-year $40 million contract. Poor start to 2018, 19 season led to Fred Hoiberg firing replaced by Jim Boylen. February 2019 saw Bobby Portis, Jabari Parker, and second-round pick traded for Otto Porter. Season ended 22, 60 missing playoffs. In 2019, they selected Coby White signing Tomáš Satoranský and Thaddeus Young. Artūras Karnišovas became executive vice president after COVID-19 disruption. Marc Eversley hired as general manager. Billy Donovan became head coach in 2020. Patrick Williams taken fourth overall pick. March 2021 trade brought Nikola Vučević and Al-Farouq Aminu sending Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter, and picks to Orlando. Despite moves, 2020, 21 season finished 31, 41 missing playoffs fourth consecutive year. In 2021 off-season, Bulls selected Ayo Dosunmu 38th pick trading Lonzo Ball from New Orleans Pelicans signing Alex Caruso. DeMar DeRozan acquired from San Antonio Spurs giving up Thaddeus Young, Al-Farouq Aminu, and picks. New lineup performed well reaching top seed Eastern Conference January 2022. DeRozan earned All-Star selection while LaVine joined him as reserve. Team quickly fell rankings finishing sixth place eliminated first round by Milwaukee Bucks five games. 2022 off-season saw re-signing LaVine to five-year $215.2 million contract largest franchise history. Dalen Terry drafted. Patrick Beverley signed midseason reigniting playoff hopes. Team finished 40, 42 earning play-in tournament spot beating Toronto Raptors before elimination by Miami Heat. 2023 off-season traded for 35th draft pick selecting Julian Philips re-signing Vucevic and Coby White. Finished 39, 43 securing play-in spot defeating Atlanta Hawks then eliminated by Miami Heat second game missing playoffs second consecutive year. DeMar DeRozan signed Sacramento Kings part of three-team sign-and-trade deal. Alex Caruso traded Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey. Andre Drummond signed Sixers. Matas Buzelis taken 11th overall in draft. Lonzo Ball returned court after two missed seasons. the 2nd of February 2025 team traded Zach LaVine to Sacramento Kings for Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and own 2025 first round pick from San Antonio Spurs. Bulls finished season 39, 43 placing ninth Eastern Conference earning play-in tournament spot losing to Miami Heat third consecutive year missing playoffs once again.
The Bulls-Cavaliers rivalry began when Cleveland joined NBA as expansion team in 1970 but heated up after Jordan drafted third overall in 1984. Rivalry died down after Jordan went to Washington Wizards eventually retired. It reignited when Cleveland picked LeBron James first selection in 2003. Cavaliers had edge over Bulls who selected Derrick Rose first selection in 2008 turning Chicago from lottery team to future contender. The main division rivals have been Detroit Pistons since Jordan-led Bulls met Bad Boy Pistons in 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals. Two teams met in playoffs four consecutive years with Pistons winning each time until 1991. Eastern Conference Finals 1991 ended four-game sweep of Pistons walking off floor with time still on game clock. Rivalry renewed 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals where former Detroit cornerstone Ben Wallace met his former team. Pistons won six games. Geographic proximity and Central Division membership intensify rivalry characterized by intense physical play since late 1980s. Chicago fans' rivalry extends past NBA sharing divisions all four major North American sports until 2013 when Detroit Red Wings moved Atlantic Division. Miami Heat rivalry began once Heat became contenders during 1990s decade dominated by Bulls. They eliminated three times by Chicago going on win title each time. Revived due to return of Bulls to playoffs after departure of Jordan emergence of Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose. Revived rivalry physical involving rough plays hard fouls between players notably actions of James Posey. Bulls and Heat met 2011 Eastern Conference Finals with Heat winning five games. the 27th of March 2013 Chicago snapped Miami's 27-game winning streak. Later that year 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals saw Miami win series four-one. In 2023 two would meet Eastern Conference play-in with Heat winning advancing playoffs. Game featured former Bull Jimmy Butler on Heat versus DeMar DeRozan Kyle Lowry. Bulls and Heat went on meet Eastern Conference play-ins both next years Heat eliminating Bulls from playoff contention both those games. Another franchise competed fiercely is New York Knicks. Two teams met playoffs four consecutive years 1991, 1994 again 1996 series twice 1992 and 1994 going full seven games. First playoff confrontation came 1989 when both called teams rise under Michael Jordan Patrick Ewing respectively starting freshman year 1982 NCAA Men Division I Basketball Championship Game with Jordan hitting deciding jumper final. That first confrontation belonged Chicago six games Eastern Semifinals. Bulls won first three years 1991, 1993 before losing 1994 got revenge 1996. Historic rivalry between cities led animosity between teams occasionally fans.
During dominance run player introductions became world famous. Longtime announcer Tommy Edwards used Sirius by Alan Parsons Project On The Run by Pink Floyd songs game presentation NBA. When Edwards moved Boston CBS Radio replaced Ray Clay 1990 continuing traditional aspects including On The Run Sirius all six championship runs. Starting lineup sequence typically done small forward power forward center point guard shooting guard. During championship era Scottie Pippen usually first second after Horace Grant introduced Michael Jordan last. Pippen Jordan only players play six Bulls championship teams. More recently Derrick Rose arrival guards reversed order making Chicago-bred point guard last player introduced. Internal disputes eventually dismissed Clay announced return Tommy Edwards 2006. New introduction developed Lily Lana Wachowski Ethan Stoller Jamie Poindexter from Chicago included newly composed remix traditional Sirius theme. Edwards replaced 2020 Tim Sinclair. Coincidentally Alan Parsons wrote Sirius own band sound engineer On the Run Pink Floyd album Dark Side Moon. Black shoes socks unofficial tradition wearing black regardless home away during playoffs dates back 1989 when debuted tradition. Then-Bulls backup center Brad Sellers suggested wear black shoes show unity within team. For 1996 playoffs became first team wear black socks black shoes similar University Michigan Fab Five started trend college earlier decade. Since then many teams look regular season playoffs. Noted when Bulls made first playoff appearance 2004, 05 season after six-year hiatus continued tradition wore black shoes. Even though generally wear black footwear playoffs since 1989 notable exceptions exist. 1995 playoffs against Magic Michael Jordan debuted Air Jordan XI shoe white colorway Bulls' playoff games Orlando fined complying colorway policy. During 2009 playoffs again broke tradition all players wore white shoes socks Game 3 first round Boston Celtics. More recently NBA relaxation sneaker color rules some Bulls players wore red white sneakers defiance tradition. Circus trip shared odd tradition dating opening Chicago Stadium. Every fall Feld Entertainment Ringling Bros Barnum Bailey Circus came Chicago nationwide tour used large indoor venues tents took United Center entire run forced along Blackhawks take extended road trip lasted about two weeks. Initially local newspapers television radio sportscasters later national programs SportsCenter referred fortnight-long local hiatus circus trip. Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz co-owned United Center Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf let contract lapse circus 2016 run condensed formerly two-week local run Disney Ice week-long period effective February 2018. Circus itself discontinued 2017. Dick Klein wanted name evoking Chicago traditional meat packing industry similarly forerunner Packers franchise Chicago Stadium proximity Union Stock Yards. Considered names Matadors Toreadors dismissed saying think team as many three syllables nickname ever success except Montreal Canadiens. After discussing possible names family settled Bulls son Mark said Dad bunch bull. Logo unique fact used same logo little change since inception iconic charging bull's face designed noted American graphic designer Dean P. Wessel adopted 1966. At one point alternate logo early 1970s featuring same Bulls logo cloud says Windy City below bull nose. Original uniforms aesthetically close current design featuring iconic diamond surrounding Bulls logo shorts block lettering. Distinguished original black drop shadows red white side stripes black borders white lettering red uniforms. For 1969, 70 season red uniforms tweaked include city name. For 1973, 74 season drastically changed look removing side stripes drop shadows moving front numbers left chest. White uniforms saw Bulls wordmark vertically arched radially arched arrangement. Red uniforms saw significant makeover featuring black lettering script Chicago wordmark. Few tweaks lettering used until 1985. Uniform set later revived throwback uniform during 2003, 04 2015, 16 seasons. Starting 1985, 86 season updated uniform notable changes centered uniform numbers vertically arched Bulls wordmark both red white uniforms. Like previous set few tweaks particularly treatment player name. Nike became NBA uniform provider 2017 kept much same save truncated shoulder striping addition Chicago four stars waistline. Nike NBA eliminating designations home away announced red Icon uniforms become home white Association uniforms become away. Bulls continued wear red Icon uniforms home games until 2020, 21 season returned wearing white Association uniforms home games starting 2021, 22 season. In 1995, 96 season added black uniform set initial look featured red pinstripes lacked classic diamond shorts. Set revived throwback uniforms 2012, 13 seasons. From 1997, 98 to 2005, 06 seasons wore slightly modified black uniforms without pinstripes. Set few slight changes template marked return city name front uniform during 1999, 2000 season. 2006, 07 season saw another change resembling red white uniform addition red diamond shorts. For 2014, 15 season tweaked include sleeves modernized diamond treatment black red white borders. Since 2017, 18 season black uniforms remained mostly untouched aforementioned switch new Nike logo affected treatment shoulder piping. Nike dubbed uniform Statement uniform reference third jerseys. Began wearing Statement uniforms after Thanksgiving currently used away games teams wear white gray silver cream uniforms. 2019, 20 season marked return pinstripes Statement uniform dark gray. Addition diamond treatment returned red piping tweaked four six-point stars featured beltline. Wore Statement uniform select home games away games teams wearing white cream yellow red silver uniforms. Ahead 2025, 26 season black Statement uniform tweaked feature red pinstripes modified striping. Various special edition uniforms worn years celebrate different events milestones. Throwbacks honored defunct Chicago Stags red blue throwback uniforms featuring red tops blue shorts 2005, 06 season. St Patrick's Day uniforms green versions red uniforms around St Patrick's Day 2006 to 2017 modifications sleeved versions 2015 sleeveless style 2016, 17. Noche Latina between 2009 and 2017 wore red variation uniforms NBA Noche Latina often featuring Los Bulls wordmark. 2014 briefly wore black sleeved uniforms event. Green Week wore dark green uniforms based black alternate uniforms NBA Green Week 2009 seek raise awareness environmental issues. Christmas Day uniforms special Christmas uniforms NBA Christmas Day games 2012 to 2016 featuring various red modified designs silver ornate script lettering. Pride uniforms from 2015 to 2017 gray sleeved Pride uniforms featuring red white lettering modernized diamond designs six-pointed stars. Nike City uniforms introduced Nike 2017 pay homage Chicago flag architecture cultural symbols evolved each season. 2017, 2018 White red Chicago script stars inspired Chicago flag. 2018, 2019 Black portion flag red stars blue stripes. 2019, 2020 Light blue recolored Bulls logo inspired Lake Michigan Chicago River. 2020, 2021 Dark grey gold lettering red accents reflecting Chicago Art Deco architecture. 2021, 2022 Red design blending elements past uniforms black white striping cursive Chicago script red pinstripes. 2022, 2023 White rust red letters alternating red black side stripes referencing Chicago municipal device Y symbol. 2023, 2024 Black inspired Chicago Stadium vertical Chicago wordmark Madhouse Madison jock tag. 2024, 2025 Gray sand uniform commemorating 30th anniversary United Center incorporating design elements arena signage iconic starting lineup spotlights. 2025, 2026 Essentially 2017, 2018 City uniform black light blue letters stars red trim. Benny Bull main mascot first introduced 1969. Benny red bull wears number one oldest best-known mascots professional sports. Another mascot named Da Bull introduced 1995 described team website high-flying cousin Benny known dunking skills. Man portrayed Da Bull arrested 2004 possession selling marijuana car. Da Bull retired soon after incident. While Benny family-friendly design Da Bull designed realistic bull. Unlike Benny brown meaner facial expression wore number 95.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was the Chicago Bulls franchise granted to Chicago?
The National Basketball Association granted a franchise to Chicago on the 16th of January 1966. Dick Klein became the team's first general manager and president.
Who did the Chicago Bulls select with the third pick in the 1984 NBA draft?
Chicago picked shooting guard Michael Jordan with the third pick in the summer of 1984. Houston selected Hakeem Olajuwon while Portland chose Sam Bowie before the Bulls made their selection.
What year did the Chicago Bulls win their first championship title?
The Chicago Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals to win their first championship during the 1990, 91 season. They recorded 61 wins that year and swept the defending champion Pistons in the Conference Finals.
How many consecutive championships did the Chicago Bulls win between 1996 and 1998?
The Chicago Bulls won three consecutive titles from 1996 through 1998 known as the final three-peat. They claimed their fourth title in 1995, 96, repeated as champions in 1996, 97 by defeating the Utah Jazz, and concluded with a victory over the Jazz in 1998.
When was Derrick Rose named the Most Valuable Player for the Chicago Bulls?
Derrick Rose earned the 2011 NBA MVP Award becoming the youngest player in history to win it on behalf of the Chicago Bulls. He became the first Bull since Michael Jordan to take home the award after finishing with a league-best 62, 20 record.