The Chicago Bulls had two former star players included by Hoops Hype amid the top 60 players this century, but not inside the top 50.
Hoops Hype, a basketball site covering the NBA as part of the USA Today network of sites, dropped their list of the “Top 100 Players This Century” during the summer months. There were former Chicago Bulls stars frequently spread amid this set of rankings that saw some of the best days for this franchise and fan base since the turn of the century.
Two of the most notable former Bulls that were included on this list that fans could have a problem with in terms of their placement are small forward Jimmy Butler and point guard Derrick Rose. But his list had both of those former Bulls stars fall just out of the top 50 players of the century.
There’s a very good case for each player to not only be ranked inside the top 50, but one of the two could be well inside the top 30. D-Rose and Jimmy Buckets are still both well-known talents around the NBA when healthy (especially for the former).
At one point, D-Rose was the NBA’s best point guard and was the youngest player in league history to win MVP. When he’s actually healthy, he can still contribute at a level that warrants him Sixth Man of the Year Award hype. Until he had a season-ending elbow injury with the Minnesota Timberwolves this past regular season, D-Rose was firmly in contention for those honors.
Moreover, Jimmy still commands the respect of a top 25 or 30 player in the NBA. He’s been around that level of star in the league for four or five seasons now. Between his latter years with the Bulls, and the Philadelphia 76ers, Timberwolves, and soon to be the Miami Heat, Jimmy Buckets proved he is one of the game’s best two-way players now.
Hoops Hype putting both former Bulls outside the top 50 brings about a lot of good arguments that each is severely underrated. The reasoning for D-Rose sitting outside the top 50 was the lack of longevity for his career before injuries starting taking over. Jimmy’s reasoning was also lack of proven body of work since he’s yet to make it even to an Eastern Conference Finals as the true star and leader of a team.
Nonetheless, the fact that D-Rose was likely a top five player in the NBA for the better part of three seasons, the injury bug could actually give him leeway in a ranking like this. Butler has also made his mark with teams all around the East and with Team USA. He deserves more respect and recognition than he got here.
On this list, Jimmy ranked at No. 51 and Rose ranked at No. 54. Just above Butler to start off the top 50 is the former Sacramento Kings sharpshooting forward Peja Stojakovic. Just above Rose was the BIG3 standout forward and former Seattle Supersonics All-Star Rashard Lewis.
Those selections could realistically be considered pretty cold takes. Despite all his injuries, Rose is much more prominent than both Stojakovic and Lewis. Butler also has his case to be considered much higher than he is now on the list since he has a long way to go before he calls it quits in the NBA.