Ranking 10 Worst Bulls starters of the Michael Jordan era
By Tyler Watts
9. Ennis Whatley
The Bulls acquired Whatley in a 1983 draft night trade for Mark Olberding. The 6’3 point guard was the 13th overall pick that year and had an outstanding rookie campaign. Whatley averaged 8.4 points, 8.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals before Michael Jordan joined the team in the 1984 draft.
His production dipped mightily after MJ’s arrival. Whatley started 44 of his 70 games played during Jordan’s rookie campaign where he averaged 5.0 points, 5.4 assists, and 0.9 steals in 19.8 minutes per game. The 6’3 point guard did not play in the playoffs as the Bulls were knocked out by the Bucks in the first round.
Ennis Whatley admitted to being part of the “traveling cocaine circus” that was referred to in The Last Dance, and he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a package for Charles Oakley in 1985.
Whatley played a decade in the NBA and multiple years overseas, but he never replicated the success he had as a rookie before MJ arrived in Chicago. He was the Wizards starting point guard in 1987 where he averaged 8.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 24.9 minutes per game. Washington was swept in the first round of the playoffs, and the 6’3 guard was a reserve for the remainder of his NBA career.