Throughout the years, the Chicago Bulls have had varying success in the NBA draft. Recent years have been up and down, with guys like Ayo Dosunmu outperforming expectations and guys like Denzel Valentine… doing the opposite. That’s just how it’s always been with the Bulls when it comes to the draft.
They’ve had their hits, they’ve had their mid-tier selections, and they’ve had plenty of busts. As of now, they don’t have a selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, so instead of focusing on that, let’s take a look at past drafts and how the Bulls have fared. We’ve covered the busts, so it’s only fair to give Chicago its praise.
Here are the five best draft selections in Bulls history.
5 best Bulls draft picks of all time: Michael Jordan, 1984
Duh.
Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest player in the history of basketball, he won the Bulls all six of their championships, and they got him with the third pick. That’s ridiculous.
5 best Bulls draft picks of all time: Jimmy Butler, 2011
The Bulls constantly get shredded for trading Jimmy Butler, but the fact that they drafted him with the 30th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft is incredible. He’s going to go down as one of the most impressive playoff performers ever and has been to two NBA Finals.
5 best Bulls draft picks of all time: Toni Kukoc, 1990
Toni Kukoc ended up being a key contributor on three of Chicago’s championship teams, and they selected him with the second pick in the second round. He was the 29th overall pick (as the league had yet to expand). The now-Hall-of-Famer was an absolute steal and one of Chicago’s most impressive selections ever.
5 best Bulls draft picks of all time: Scottie Pippen, 1987
Having both Jordan and Scottie Pippen on this list seems too obvious, but that’s exactly why they both need to be here. Leaving either one of them off would be doing Chicago a disservice. Chicago got Pippen with the fifth pick and he turned into the best second option ever.
5 best Bulls draft picks of all time: Derrick Rose, 2008
It just had to be, right? While Derrick Rose’s selection didn’t end in a championship for Chicago, he is one of the most iconic Bulls players ever. Outside of the Jordan years, he’s the biggest fan-favorite in team history. Sure, he was the first pick, but there was no way Rose was going to be left off this list.
