The Chicago Bulls have a long history of two-way success as a franchise. Here are the 15 best defenders of all-time for this storied team
The Chicago Bulls are one of the league’s most prominent franchises, thanks in no small part to their dominant run in the 1990s when the league was exploding in popularity.
Many of the all-time greats have worn the red jersey, from Jerry Sloan and Chet Walker in the 1960s to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in the 1990s.
While plenty of their great players have been talented offensively, they boast a number of excellent defenders in their annals. Since their first game in 1966 until the present, many of the best defenders in league history have played for the Bulls.
In evaluating who the 15 best defenders in franchise history are, the search has to quickly overlook the current roster.
At the time of writing, there are just a few defensively-talented players on the team, including Kris Dunn and Wendell Carter Jr., but no player has had sustained success as of yet.
The search will also overlook a number of Chicago greats who were less impactful on defense.
MVP Derrick Rose of the 2010s, or perennial All-Star Chet Walker in the 1960s and 70s were both great players who found success as offensive centerpieces, not as defensive stalwarts.
Yet there was still a robust list to choose from. To narrow things down, factors such as team success, longevity with the team, level of excellence and league-wide accolades were taken into account.
Players such as Omer Asik, Taj Gibson, Cliff Pondexter, Rowland Garrett, Ronnie Brewer and Charles Oakley were all considered and missed the cut.
Starting with a player recognizable to more modern fans, here are the 15 best defensive players in the history of the Chicago Bulls.