Underrated players in Chicago Bulls history: Clifford Ray
The theme of underrated Bulls big men from the teams of the 1960s and 1970s continues with the next player up on this list. Former Bulls and Golden State Warriors 6-foot-9 and 230-pound center Clifford Ray was one of the truly underappreciated big men of his day.
Similar to that of Boozer, Ray deserved more All-Star selections than he got during his playing days in the NBA. That is especially true since Ray never got a single All-Star nod in his career.
But a lot of what a player like Ray was able to do during his days in the NBA weren’t really appreciated at that time. There was a season where Ray averaged nearly 10 points per game, 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and 2.5 blocks. That type of all-around production is more recognizable in this day and age of modern advanced stats. But it wasn’t in the 1970s.
Most of Ray’s productive days during his NBA career actually came during his three seasons with the Bulls. In three seasons played with the Bulls, Ray averaged 8.3 points per game, 11.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.2 blocks.
Ray was one of the best defensive big men and rebounders of his day with the Bulls in the 1970s. It is also notable that Ray is one of less than five players in Bulls history to come up with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a single postseason game.
About the most notable part of Ray’s game was the level of consistency he brought to the table. This rebounding machine was good for double-digit rebounds and at least one block per game in most nights for the Bulls. His role declined with the Warriors, but he was still consistent for them in the mid-to-late 1970s and early 1980s.