Chicago Bulls: 15 best scorers in franchise history
24. . Small forward. 1969-75. Chet Walker. 6. player
When it comes to the NBA pre-1980s, most people remember the elites like Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West, among others.
He certainly wasn’t on that level, but Chet Walker was a star in his own right and one of the better scorers in the game.
Arriving in Chicago prior to the 1969-70 season, Walker had already established himself in the scoring column with the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers. It was as a Bull is where he shined brightest, averaging over 20 points for three consecutive seasons and then putting up 19.4 a night in the three years following.
A 6-foot-6 small forward, Walker was a terrific mid-range jump shooter. It always seemed so effortless for him in that he could get his shot off whenever he wanted.
There were obviously plenty of times where he was assisted by a teammate, but Walker was also adept at pulling up with the ball in his hands, catching the defense off guard and earning an easy uncontested look.
After coming to Chicago he became a better shooter at the line, upping his percentage nearly 12 points over his tenure with the Bulls, a likely reason his scoring increased over four points from his seven seasons with the 76ers.
Given how analytically driven the league is today, watching Walker thrive from mid-range is a cringe-worthy sight, even without a 3-point line back then. Given how his numbers increased, it’s hard to argue with the results.
His name won’t get mentioned among the likes of Bill Russell and others, but Walker was arguably the best player on those Bulls teams, a consistent high-scoring threat. That has to count for something.