Yet to win an NBA championship or even qualify for the NBA Finals in the 21st century, you’ll have to forgive me if watching Denver secure their first championship in franchise history has me feeling a little… nostalgic. Instead of feeling sorry for myself over the Bulls’ state of mediocrity, however, I decided to boot up the ol’ time machine to take a look back at things and construct an all-time starting five if we were to rank each player by total win shares.
If we were discussing single-season performances, this list would likely look very different (and will perhaps be covered at another time). Instead, we’ll focus in on the players who devoted the greater part of their careers to the Bulls and left lasting legacies.
Here’s a look at what the Chicago Bulls all-time starting five would look like if we ranked players by their total win shares and the impact left on the franchise.
Kirk Hinrich wasn’t a player that’d blow you away with stats, but he gave an entire decade of great basketball to the Bulls.
Point Guard: Kirk Hinrich (47.6 WS)
This may come as a shock to many, but it’s actually Kirk Hinrich who currently holds the title for most win shares by any point guard in Chicago Bulls history. Although he never reached the peaks of superstardom, this feat is a testament to the many years of dependable service Captain Kirk dedicated to this franchise.
In 10.5 seasons in Chicago, Hinrich was an irreplaceable cornerstone as he helped lead the Bulls to a new era of success after a decade of mediocrity in the wake of Michael Jordan’s retirement. Hinrich was a multi-faceted player who could run the offense and open up good looks for his teammates, create his own offense, and play lockdown defense. It’s no coincidence the Bulls won 387 games with Hinrich at the helm.
As much as I enjoyed watching Hinrich in the fledgling days of my fandom, it should come as no surprise when I say he’s the weakest link here in this starting five. Much like their NFL counterpart, Chicago has historically failed to find ‘the man’ who can lead the team and run the offense as a star player in the league. Hinrich ranks 11th all-time in win shares for the Bulls, which is nothing to scoff at, but it’s only going to go up from here.
2nd string: Norm Van Lier (39.1 WS)
3rd string: Derrick Rose (31.4 WS)
Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan (204.5 WS)
While the man at point guard may have been a pleasant surprise, I’m sure this one will come as no shock to you. Starting at point guard, we have none other than the Greatest Of All Time himself, Michael Jordan.
With five MVPs, six championship rings, ten scoring titles, and a DPOY award to his name, I highly doubt we’ll ever see His Airness unseated from his throne here. Not just the best player to ever play for the Chicago Bulls, Jordan’s resume speaks for itself — he is the most accomplished player to ever tie his laces and step on the court in NBA history.
The greatest shooting guard in Chicago Bulls history is, of course, none other than Michael Jordan.
But what I find particularly interesting here, is not that Jordan reigns supreme (that’s a given), but rather just how wide the gap is between him and the next greatest Chicago Bull. At 204.5, MJ has more than double the number of win shares than the next highest-ranking player. He’s so dominant, that two of the top 10 players in Bulls history in Jimmy Butler and Jerry Sloan will be kept off this starting lineup entirely.
MJ ranks 5th all-time among all NBA players in win shares, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain, and Karl Malone. Other than Wilt, each of these players played a considerable amount longer to stretch their lead. Jordan’s best season ranks 9th all-time in win shares, while LeBron’s best comes in at 17th and Malone’s best year ranks 60th.
2nd string: Jimmy Butler (49.3 WS, 8th all-time)
3rd string: Jerry Sloan (48.1 WS, 10th all-time)
Small Forward: Scottie Pippen (99.7 WS)
Now that Batman has been selected to our all-time starting five here, it’s only right we invite Robin to the party as well. Long-fabled as the man who helped Michael Jordan get over the hump and win his first of many championships, it just wouldn’t be right if we didn’t have Scottie Pippen here.
Playing 17 long seasons in the league, Pippen spent the majority of that time with Chicago. Following Pippen’s promotion to the starting lineup during his sophomore season, the Bulls would go on to win 6 titles in their next 10 attempts (and 6 of 8 in years Jordan was a full participant).
No all-time Bulls team would be complete without Scottie Pippen, and his win shares reflect that.
In true Robin fashion, Pippen ranks 2nd in points, 2nd in assists, 2nd in steals, 3rd in rebounds, and 4th in blocks on Chicago’s all-time total leaderboard. He’s practically plastered all over the Bulls’ record books, regardless of where you look. He was so good that Chet Walker and Luol Deng, Chicago’s 3rd and 6th-best players all-time in win shares, unfortunately won’t crack this list.
As mentioned in the previous slide, as good as Scottie was, his win shares total is still less than half of Jordan’s. Perhaps it’s for this reason Pippen to this day feels a bit of insecurity regarding his status in the Chicago Bulls record books. No matter how much damage Pippen continues to do to his legacy following retirement, no one can deny that he’ll always have a special place in the hallowed halls of Bulls history.
2nd string: Chet Walker (67 WS, 3rd all-time)
3rd string: Luol Deng (58.4 WS, 6th all-time)
Power Forward: Horace Grant (62.4 WS)
After two shoo-in picks for the starting five, we have another surprise here with the all-too-often underrated legend Horace Grant here. While Pippen was drafted 5th overall in 1987 and often credited with the Bulls making a dramatic leap, Grant was picked 10th and played just as large of a role in helping Chicago get things off the ground in the late ’80s.
Grant was absolutely integral down on the low block for the Bulls on their first championship run, where he helped the team collect its first three championship rings. Following Jordan’s retirement, Grant would depart in free agency to join the Orlando Magic.
Horace Grant deserves more credit for his contributions to the legacy of the first three-peat Bulls.
When Jordan returned midway through the 1994-95 season, the Bulls ran into the same Magic squad in the second round before losing in six games.
This is no coincidence. Even with the GOAT back on the team, the Bulls were simply at a loss on what to do now that their once reliable big man was instead playing for the other squad.
This loss prompted the decision to go out and acquire Dennis Rodman to replace Grant’s presence, and the rest is history. Chicago has always held a special place in Horace’s heart since then, however, as he now serves as a special advisor for the Bulls COO, Michael Reinsdorf.
2nd string: Bob Love (48.2 WS, 9th all-time)
3rd string: Toni Kukoc (41.2 WS, 12th all-time)
Center: Artis Gilmore (66.5 WS)
Wrapping things up here with the man in the middle, the race for the starting center position wasn’t quite as cut and dry as the other positions thus far. Separated by less than 10 total win shares between first and second place, it’s Artis Gilmore who steps up here to claim the final spot.
Originally playing in the ABA with the Kentucky Colonels, Gilmore would instead join forces with the Chicago Bulls following the merger in the early ’70s. For a long time, GIlmore single-handedly kept the Bulls relevant, averaging 20.1 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game across six seasons in Chicago.
Artis Gilmore’s incredible impact on the Bulls shouldn’t be lost or forgotten with time.
It’s for this reason that despite a relatively short tenure with the team, Gilmore was for a long time known as the greatest player in Chicago Bulls history. That was, of course, until MJ stepped up to the plate. To this day, Gilmore still holds the record for most total blocks and blocks per game, as well as the highest field goal percentage for any player in a Bulls uniform.
Unfortunately, Chicago failed to surround Gilmore with adequate talent to become a truly competitive team. Posting a 228-254 record with the Bulls, Artis would leave to spend the remainder of his productive years with George Gervin and the Spurs. San Antonio would go 53-29 in their first season with Gilmore, but ultimately fall short of their championship aspirations.
Looking back, Gilmore absolutely deserves his spot in the Hall of Fame after earning 11 All-Star selections and an ABA MVP award in 1972.
2nd string: Joakim Noah (57.3 WS, 7th all-time)
3rd string: Tom Boerwinkle (38 WS)