Chicago Bulls players from the awful post-Jordan era, where are they now?
By Keith Cork
Corey Benjamin
Years on Bulls 1998-2001
Stats: 5.4 ppg, 39 fg%, 27.4 3pt%, 0.83 apg
My Bulls Memory: I really wanted Corey Benjamin to do well. On Chicago Bulls teams that averaged no more than 87 points per game, he seemed like he had the ability to put up points in a hurry. Even in a limited bench role. I seem to remember that he could jump out of the gym, and as a fan of players like Tracy McGrady I always cheered for that display of raw athleticism.
If you actually look at his per 36 stats, you’ll see he could have averaged 13-16 points per game in the years he played for the Chicago Bulls, if he had been given a shot at starting.
I also seem to remember one Bulls telecast where CB was so enraged by the awfulness of the team that he managed to spit on camera speaking in anger right before the commercial break. It got stuck in his beard and he just kept screaming. The man had heart, at least.
Plus, I could crush my little brothers with him on any Playstation One game that featured Mr. Benjamin on the roster, ultimately adding insult to injury when they grew old enough to learn a bit about the league. Double loss.
Career Trajectory: After his unsuccessful stint with the Bulls, Benjamin headed overseas to play with Sutor Montegranaro in Italy, then to sunny California where he joined the Southern California Surf as part of the (somehow still operating) American Basketball Association. He spent one season with the Atlanta Hawks where he managed to play in 9 games before becoming an international journeyman overseas on six different teams over the course of 5 years.
Corey Benjamin, however, will probably best be remembered as the sorry sap that challenged a then retired Michael Jordan to a game of 1-on-1 during practice. Watch it here and try not to cry for the guy.
Where are they now? The latest news I can find on Corey Benjamin is a 2016 report from TMZ that details how he was arrested for domestic abuse. During an argument with his girlfriend, Benjamin grabbed her phone and smashed it. Clearly, he is not doing all that well.