Pippen Ain't Easy
Fansided

Chicago Bulls: Top 15 draft picks in franchise history

By Jason Patt

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JUNE 11: Michael Jordan #23 hugs teammate Scottie Pippen #33 of the Chicago Bulls following Game Five of the 1997 NBA Finals played against the Utah Jazz on June 11, 1997 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz 90-88. Ahmad Rashad tries to get an interview for NBC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JUNE 11: Michael Jordan #23 hugs teammate Scottie Pippen #33 of the Chicago Bulls following Game Five of the 1997 NBA Finals played against the Utah Jazz on June 11, 1997 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz 90-88. Ahmad Rashad tries to get an interview for NBC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Reggie Theus, Chicago Bulls
(Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images) /

10. 24. Scouting Report. SG. UNLV. Reggie Theus. player. Pick Analysis

The Bulls made UNLV’s Reggie Theus the ninth pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Theus enjoyed five stellar seasons in Chicago before a rather unceremonious ending led to his departure in his sixth NBA campaign.

Theus stepped into the Bulls’ lineup and flourished right away. The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 16.3 points and 5.2 assists in 33.6 minutes per game, earning him first-team All-Rookie honors and second place in Rookie of the Year voting.

Theus followed that up by going over 20 points and six assists per game in his second season, and he garnered his first of two All-Star nods the following year in 1981. He and Artis Gilmore led the Bulls to a playoff series win over the New York Knicks that year. His other All-Star selection came in 1983, when he finished the year with a career-high 23.8 points per game to go along with 5.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest.

Theus played in all 82 games in each of the first five seasons of his career, but things went sour under new Bulls head coach Kevin Loughery in Year 6. After a holdout in training camp, Loughery opted to bring the popular Theus off the bench to start the year. Theus had a few starts mixed in, but there came a point where Loughery just wouldn’t play Theus at all due to defensive concerns. Loughery added more drama to the situation when he announced that minority owner/vice president Jonathan Kovler forced the coach into starting Theus for a few games.

The Bulls traded Theus to the Kansas City Kings in the middle of the season, so he never got to play with Michael Jordan.

While things didn’t end well for Theus and the Bulls, he posted impressive production in his relatively short time with the team. He’s ninth on the franchise scoring list, plus sixth in assists and eighth in steals.

Not only did Theus make an impact on the court, but he also made his mark off the court on the Chicago social scene. He was dubbed “Rush Street Reggie” for his endeavors in the area, which boosted his popularity.

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