3. Orlando Woolridge, Small Forward
There are a number of often forgotten teammates of Jordan from his early playing days with the Bulls. During the 1980’s, the Bulls were still coached up by either Doug Collins or Stan Albeck (also Kevin Loughery for a bit of time in the mid 1980’s). And the most notable sidekick alongside Jordan for most of the 1980’s in the Windy City was Charles Oakley.
However, former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause started the process of retooling the team around Jordan in the late 1980’s, including the drafting of other stars like Pippen and big man Horace Grant. But one notable teammate or Jordan in his very early years with the Bulls that doesn’t get enough credit is the 6-foot-9 and 215 pound former Notre Dame Fighting Irish small forward Orlando Woolridge.
As the sixth overall pick in the first round of the Bulls in the 1981 NBA Draft, Woolridge actually had some quality contributions at the three spot in the early-to-mid 1980’s in the Windy City. He was Jordan’s teammate with the Bulls for the first two years of his career, and averaged around 22.0 points per game in that span of time.
Moreover, Wooldridge had the most efficient years of his NBA career in a Bulls uniform. Woolridge registered a 0.7 box plus/minus rating, around a 58.5 true shooting percentage, .117 win shares per 48 minutes, and 17.6 player efficiency rating in five seasons with the Bulls.
He did also spend a few different seasons with the likes of the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Bulls divisional foe Detroit Pistons. He was just one season off getting a title alongside either the Pistons or the Lakers.