Chicago Bulls: 15 best scorers in franchise history
24. . Shooting guard. 2011-17. Jimmy Butler. 8. player
As the 30th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Jimmy Butler represents one of the best stories the NBA has ever seen.
Following two seasons averaging less than 10 points and another with just 13.1, Butler broke on to the scene during the 2014-15 season — his fourth in the league — averaging 20.0 points per game, the start of a three-year stretch in which he never dipped below the 20-point threshold with the Bulls.
Once his play was elevated to the heights of some of the game’s best, it became really difficult to slow Butler down on the offensive end.
A muscular 6-foot-8, 236 pounds with the athleticism to match, Butler was a force attacking the basket. He was someone who could draw fouls with ease in the form of 7.7 free-throw attempts per game during those three seasons.
He was also one of the best iso-scorers in the game with a terrific mid-range jumper, stopping on a dime, rising up and cashing in those easy buckets from the elbow.
Butler never really developed a consistent outside shot, a small hinderance at times, but it was the other facets of his repertoire that proved useful for him with the Bulls.
Certain players come into the league ready to produce at a high level. Others need time to reach their full potential.
Butler may have started off slowly, but his hard work and dedication to his craft clearly paid off, transforming him from simply a defense-only player to a franchise talent every team would love to have on its roster.