Chicago Bulls All-Time starting lineup: Controversy at two positions
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Some of the greatest players of all time have worn the red and black of the Chicago Bulls, including arguably the greatest player to ever touch a basketball.
With six titles in eight seasons, the Jordan-era Bulls would figure to populate most of the Bulls’ all-time starting lineup, but there is plenty of debate around a couple of positions, with some non-Jordan era guys making their cases.
Let’s start with one of the more debatable choices, which is the starting center.
Chicago Bulls all-time starting center: Artis Gilmore
Runner up: Joakim Noah
This was one of the toughest ones to call, as the Bulls never had a dominant center in the Jordan era and it’s been one of their weaker positions overall.
A strong case can be made for Joakim Noah, who won Defensive Player of the Year for the Bulls, made the All-Star team twice and the All-Defensive team three times in his nine seasons in Chicago.
Noah was never the prototypical back-to-the-basket scorer from the center position, but he was a great rebounder, defender and passer.
But it’s hard to take it away from Artis Gilmore, who I ranked as the Bulls’ best second-round pick of all time for good reason.
Gilmore averaged 19.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and two blocks per game for the Bulls, making the All-Star game four times in six seasons.
It’s hard to compare eras, but if you include Gilmore’s ABA numbers, he has the argument to be in the top-10 centers of all time discussion, as he was an MVP once and made the All-Star team five times before joining the NBA.