Chicago Bulls

History

1966–75: Formation and early success

The Chicago Bulls were granted an NBA franchise on January 16, 1966, making them the third NBA team in Chicago's history, following the Chicago Stags (1946–1950) and the Chicago Packers/Zephyrs (1961–1963). The franchise was founded by Dick Klein, the only owner in Bulls history to have played professional basketball, having previously played for the Chicago American Gears. Klein served as the team's general manager and president during its formative years.

After the 1966 NBA expansion draft, the Bulls (coached by Chicagoan and former NBA All-Star Johnny "Red" Kerr) were allowed to acquire players from established teams. In their inaugural 1966–67 season, the Bulls played their first game on October 15, securing an upset victory over the St. Louis Hawks. They finished the season with a 33–48 record, the best by any expansion team in NBA history at the time, and became the first (and only) expansion team to qualify for the playoffs. Guard Guy Rodgers, who led the league in assists, and forward Jerry Sloan were named All-Stars, and Kerr earned Coach of the Year honors.

The Bulls initially played their home games at the International Amphitheatre before moving to Chicago Stadium. Despite their early success, fan interest waned over the next few seasons, with attendance dropping significantly. One Bulls game in the 1967–68 season had an official attendance of 891 while some Bulls games were being played in Kansas City. In 1969, Klein resigned as general manager and hired Pat Williams, who had gained prominence with the Philadelphia 76ers for his promotional efforts. Williams revitalized the franchise, making key roster changes and introducing the team's first mascot, Benny the Bull, which helped increase attendance and visibility.

Under Williams and head coach Dick Motta, the Bulls made the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, including setting a franchise record of 57 wins in 1972. During this period, the team relied on key players like Sloan, Bob Love, Chet Walker, and Norm Van Lier. The Bulls made their first appearance in the conference finals in the 1973–74 season, losing in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks. They also made the conference finals in the 1974–75 season but lost to the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors in a 4–3 series. Despite continued success through the early 1970s, the team faced challenges in the late decade. After four seasons of 50 or more wins, Williams left for Philadelphia, and Motta took on both the coaching and general manager roles. The Bulls' performance declined significantly, culminating in a 24–58 season in 1975–76. As a result, Motta was fired and replaced by Ed Badger.

1976–84: Gilmore and Theus era

Klein sold the Bulls to the Wirtz family, longtime owners of the Chicago Blackhawks. Indifferent to NBA basketball, the new ownership group implemented a shoestring budget, putting little time and investment into improving the team.

Artis Gilmore, acquired in the ABA dispersal draft in 1976, led a Bulls squad which included guard Reggie Theus, forward David Greenwood and forward Orlando Woolridge.

In 1979, the Bulls lost a coin flip for the right to select first in the NBA draft (Rod Thorn, the Bulls' general manager, called "heads"). Had the Bulls won the toss, they would have selected Magic Johnson; instead, they selected David Greenwood with the second pick. The Los Angeles Lakers selected Johnson with the pick acquired from the New Orleans Jazz, who traded the selection for Gail Goodrich.

After Gilmore was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for center Dave Corzine, the Bulls employed a high-powered offense centered on Theus, and which soon included guards Quintin Dailey and Ennis Whatley. However, with continued dismal results, the Bulls decided to change direction, trading Theus to the Kansas City Kings during the 1983–84 season. Local businessman Jerry Reinsdorf purchased a controlling stake in the team in 1985, two years after the death of Arthur Wirtz, patriarch of the Wirtz family.

1984–98: Michael Jordan era

In the summer of 1984, the Bulls had the third pick of the 1984 NBA draft, after Houston and Portland. The Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon, the Blazers picked Sam Bowie and the Bulls chose shooting guard Michael Jordan. The team, with new management in owner Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Jerry Krause, decided to rebuild around Jordan. Jordan set franchise records during his rookie campaign for scoring (third in the league) and steals (fourth), and led the Bulls back to the playoffs, where they lost in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a selection to the All-NBA Second Team and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

In the following off-season, the team acquired point guard John Paxson and on draft day traded with the Cavaliers for the rights to power forward Charles Oakley. Along with Jordan and center Dave Corzine, they provided much of the Bulls' offense for the next two years. After suffering a broken foot early in the 1985–86 season, Jordan finished second on the team to Woolridge in scoring. Jordan returned for playoffs, and led the eighth-seeded Bulls against Larry Bird and his 67–15 Boston Celtics. At the time, the Bulls had the fifth-worst record of any team to qualify for the playoffs in NBA history. Though the Bulls were swept, Jordan recorded a playoff single-game record 63 points in Game 2 (which still stands to this day), prompting Bird to call him 'God disguised as Michael Jordan.'

In the 1986–87 season, Jordan continued his assault on the record books, leading the league in scoring with 37.1 points per game and becoming the first Bull named to the All-NBA First Team. The Bulls finished 40–42, which was good enough to qualify them for the playoffs. However, they were again swept by the Celtics in the playoffs.

In the 1987 draft, to address their lack of depth, Krause selected center Olden Polynice eighth overall and power forward Horace Grant 10th overall, then sent Polynice to Seattle in a draft-day trade for the fifth selection, small forward Scottie Pippen. With Paxson and Jordan in the backcourt, Brad Sellers and Oakley at the forward spots, Corzine anchoring center, and rookies Pippen and Grant coming off the bench, the Bulls won 50 games and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they were beaten by the eventual Eastern Conference Champions Detroit Pistons in five games. For his efforts, Jordan was named NBA Most Valuable Player, an award he would win four more times over his career. The 1987–88 season would also mark the start of the Pistons-Bulls rivalry which was formed from 1988 to 1991.

1998–08: Post-Jordan era and a decade of struggle

The summer of 1998 marked the end of the Bulls' championship era. Jerry Krause, citing the team's aging roster, opted to rebuild rather than face decline. He traded Scottie Pippen for minimal returns, let Dennis Rodman go, and dealt other key players for draft picks. Krause also hired Tim Floyd to replace Phil Jackson as head coach. Michael Jordan announced his second retirement, leaving the Bulls with a new starting lineup featuring Toni Kukoč and Ron Harper, who could not save their franchise from a 13–37 record in the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, which included a record-low 49 points in a game against the Miami Heat.

Winning the draft lottery provided a highlight, allowing the Bulls to draft Elton Brand. Despite his stellar rookie season and co-Rookie of the Year honors, injuries and trades left the team floundering at 17–65 in 1999–2000. Attempts to attract top free agents failed, and new additions like Brad Miller and Ron Mercer didn't improve results, leading to a league- and franchise-worst 15–67 record the following season. Krause shocked fans by trading Brand for Tyson Chandler and drafting Eddy Curry, both seen as long-term prospects. Without veteran leadership, the team struggled, despite mid-season trades and a coaching change from Floyd to Bill Cartwright, finishing with only 21 wins.

Optimism returned in 2002–03 with the addition of Jay Williams and a young, talented core, but inconsistency limited progress to 30–52. Krause retired in 2003, and John Paxson became GM. Williams' career was derailed by a motorcycle accident, and Pippen's return was marred by injuries. The 2003–04 season saw setbacks from Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, leading to Cartwright's firing and Scott Skiles' hiring. A major trade shifted the team's strategy to defense, but the Bulls still finished 23–59. Kirk Hinrich emerged as a fan favorite, earning All-Rookie honors amid another disappointing season.

Between 2004 and 2008, the Bulls underwent notable roster transformations and fluctuating on-court results in their efforts to rebuild as a competitive team. GM John Paxson drafted Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Chris Duhon while also acquiring Olympic gold medalist Andrés Nocioni. Despite beginning the season with nine consecutive losses, the team recovered to finish 47–35, making their first playoff appearance since 1998. However, injuries to Deng and Eddy Curry contributed to a first-round exit against the Washington Wizards. Gordon received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

2008–16: Derrick Rose era

With only a slim 1.7% chance of winning the rights to draft first overall, the Bulls won the 2008 NBA draft lottery and selected first overall. With this, the Bulls became the team with the lowest chance of winning to ever win the lottery since it was modified for the 1994 NBA draft, and second-lowest ever. On June 26, 2008, the Bulls drafted Chicago native Derrick Rose from the University of Memphis as the number 1 draft pick, and Sonny Weems at number 39. The Bulls later traded Weems to the Denver Nuggets for Denver's 2009 regular second-round draft pick. The Bulls also made several trades, including one that brought Ömer Aşık to the team. The team re-signed Luol Deng to a six-year deal, although he was sidelined for much of the season due to injury.

In February 2009, the Bulls made multiple trades to strengthen the roster, including a deal with the Sacramento Kings for Brad Miller and John Salmons, and another with the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first-round pick. These moves helped the team secure a playoff spot, finishing the season at .500 with a 41–41 record. In the playoffs, they faced the Boston Celtics in a dramatic seven-game series. In Game 1, Derrick Rose scored 36 points, along with 11 assists, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for most points scored by a rookie in a playoff debut. After breaking the record for most overtimes played during one playoff series, the Boston Celtics managed to overcome the Bulls after 7 games and 7 overtime periods played.

In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Bulls selected James Johnson and Taj Gibson. They also lost Ben Gordon to the Detroit Pistons in free agency. The following season, the team made further trades, including sending John Salmons to the Milwaukee Bucks and Tyrus Thomas to the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bulls finished with the eighth seed in the 2010 playoffs but were eliminated in five games by the Cleveland Cavaliers. In May 2010, the team fired head coach Vinny Del Negro.

In early June 2010, Boston Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau accepted a three-year contract to fill the Bulls' head coaching vacancy. He was officially introduced on June 23. On July 7, it was revealed that Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz had verbally agreed to an $80 million, five-year contract. The Bulls obtained him and Kyle Korver, the latter to a three-year, $15 million contract, from Utah and traded Kirk Hinrich to the Washington Wizards to free up cap space. The same day that the Bulls signed Kyle Korver, they signed Turkish All-Star Ömer Aşık. After being matched by the Orlando Magic for JJ Redick, they signed their third free agent from the Jazz in the off-season in shooting guard Ronnie Brewer, traded for former Golden State Warriors point guard C.J. Watson, and signed former Milwaukee Bucks power forward Kurt Thomas as well ex-Spur Keith Bogans and ex-Celtic Brian Scalabrine.

2017–20: Demise of GarPax

In June 2017, the Chicago Bulls traded Jimmy Butler and their 2017 first-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and a pick used to select Lauri Markkanen. They also waived Rajon Rondo and Isaiah Canaan, and allowed Michael Carter-Williams to enter free agency. Justin Holiday rejoined the Bulls on a two-year, $9 million contract, while Dwyane Wade reached a buyout agreement, returning $8 million of his $23.2 million contract.

On October 17, 2017, a fight broke out between Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotić during practice. Portis punched Mirotić in the face, causing a concussion and facial fractures. Portis was suspended eight games, and Mirotić missed 23 games. The incident led to Mirotić being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2018 for a first-round draft pick and Ömer Aşık, Tony Allen, and Jameer Nelson. The Bulls finished the 2017–18 season with a 27–55 record.

In 2018, the Bulls drafted Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison, and re-signed Zach LaVine to a four-year, $78 million deal. They also signed Jabari Parker to a two-year, $40 million contract. After a poor start to the 2018–19 season, Fred Hoiberg was fired and replaced by Jim Boylen. In February 2019, Bobby Portis, Jabari Parker, and a second-round pick were traded for Otto Porter. The Bulls ended the season with a 22–60 record, missing the playoffs.

In 2019, the Bulls selected Coby White and signed veterans Tomáš Satoranský and Thaddeus Young. After the COVID-19 disruption, Artūras Karnišovas became the Bulls' executive vice president, and Marc Eversley was hired as general manager. Jim Boylen was fired, and Billy Donovan became head coach in 2020. The Bulls drafted Patrick Williams with the fourth overall pick.

In March 2021, the Bulls traded for Nikola Vučević and Al-Farouq Aminu, sending Wendell Carter Jr, Otto Porter and draft picks to Orlando. Despite these moves, the Bulls finished the 2020–21 season with a 31–41 record, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

2021–24: DeRozan and LaVine era

In the 2021 off-season, the Chicago Bulls made several notable moves aimed at improving their roster. They selected Ayo Dosunmu with the 38th pick in the second round of the NBA Draft, traded for Lonzo Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans, and signed free agent Alex Caruso. The Bulls also received DeMar DeRozan from the San Antonio Spurs, giving up Thaddeus Young, Al-Farouq Aminu, and draft picks.

The Bulls's new look lineup initially performed quite well, making it to the top seed in the Eastern Conference in January 2022. DeRozan's performance in this period, including back-to-back buzzer-beater three-pointers against the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards, briefly captured the spotlight. After Lonzo Ball was sidelined with a knee injury requiring a meniscus replacement, the team struggled to maintain consistency. DeRozan earned an All-Star selection and LaVine joined him as a reserve, but the team quickly fell in the rankings. They finished the season in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.

In the 2022 off-season, the Bulls re-signed LaVine to a five-year, $215.2 million contract (the largest in franchise history) and selected Dalen Terry in the draft. They also signed Patrick Beverley mid-season in an attempt to reignite their playoff hopes. However, despite some individual success, the team's lack of consistency persisted. The Bulls finished 40–42 in the 2022–23 season and earned a spot in the play-in tournament, beating the Toronto Raptors in a bittersweet win for Derozan, before they were again eliminated by the Miami Heat.

The 2023 off-season saw the Bulls trade for the 35th pick in the draft and select Julian Philips, while also re-signing Vucevic and Coby White. The Bulls finished with a 39–43 record, once again securing a play-in spot. After defeating the Atlanta Hawks, they were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the second game, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

2024–present: New direction with Buzelis and Giddey

DeMar DeRozan signed with the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-team sign-and-trade deal. The team also traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey. Andre Drummond signed with the Sixers. In the draft, Matas Buzelis was taken by the Bulls 11th overall. After two missed seasons, Lonzo Ball made his return to the court. On February 2, 2025, the team traded Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings for Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and their own 2025 first-round pick from the San Antonio Spurs.

The Bulls finished the season with a 39–43 record, placing them 9th in the Eastern Conference. This earned them a spot in the play-in tournament, where they would go on to lose to the Miami Heat for the third consecutive year, missing the playoffs once again. In the 2025 draft, Noa Essengue was taken by the Bulls 12th overall. During the offseason, the Bulls traded Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Isaac Okoro.

The Bulls began their 2025–2026 season with a 5–0 record, the best start since their 1996–97 season. However, they ended up struggling throughout the year. The team went on an 11-game losing streak in February, setting a franchise record for the most losses in a winless month. During the trade deadline period, the Bulls completed seven trades, breaking apart their veteran core by trading away Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Julian Phillips, Dalen Terry, Kevin Huerter and Emanuel Miller. In exchange, the Bulls received Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Leonard Miller, Guerschon Yabusele, Nick Richards, Anfernee Simons, Rob Dillingham and eight second-round picks. In March, the Bulls waived Ivey following his criticism of the NBA being involved with Pride Month activities. In April 2026, Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley were fired from their positions as executive vice-president of basketball operations and general manager, respectively. After the team finished the season with a 31–51 record, missing the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, Billy Donovan also stepped down as head coach. On May 4, 2026, the Bulls named Bryson Graham as their new executive vice-president of basketball operations. In June 2026, Tiago Splitter was named as head coach. In the 2026 draft, Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain were selected as the 4th and 15th pick, respectively.

Rivalries

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls. The teams have played each other since the Cavaliers joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1970, but the rivalry didn't begin in earnest until the Bulls drafted Michael Jordan with the third overall pick in 1984. After Jordan went on to the Washington Wizards and eventually retired, the rivalry died down, but when Cleveland picked LeBron James with the first selection in 2003, the rivalry heated up again. However, the Cavaliers had an edge over the Bulls, who would pick Derrick Rose with the first selection in 2008 to turn Chicago from a lottery team to a future contender.

Detroit Pistons

The Bulls' main division rivals have been the Detroit Pistons ever since the Jordan-led Bulls met the "Bad Boy" Pistons in the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals. The two teams met in the playoffs four consecutive years, with the Pistons winning each time until 1991. The Eastern Conference Finals in 1991 ended with a four-game sweep of the Pistons, who walked off the floor with time still on the game clock. The rivalry was renewed in the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals, in which former Detroit cornerstone Ben Wallace met his former team (the Pistons won in 6 games). The geographic proximity and membership in the Central Division further intensify the rivalry, which has been characterized by intense, physical play ever since the teams met in the late 1980s. Chicago fans' rivalry with Detroit extends past the NBA, as the two cities shared divisions in all four major North American sports until 2013 when the Detroit Red Wings moved to the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.

Miami Heat

The Bulls and the Miami Heat rivalry began once the Heat became contenders during the 1990s, a decade dominated by the Bulls. They were eliminated 3 times by Chicago, who went on to win the title each time. The rivalry was revived due to the return of the Bulls to the playoffs after the departure of Jordan from the Bulls and the emergence of Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose. The revived rivalry was physical, involving rough plays and hard fouls between players, most notably the actions of former Heat player James Posey. The Bulls and Heat met in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals, with the Heat winning in 5 games. On March 27, 2013, Chicago snapped Miami's 27-game winning streak. The Bulls and Heat met later that year in the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Miami won the series 4–1. In 2023, the two would meet in the Eastern Conference play-in, with the Heat winning to advance to the playoffs. Notably the game featured former Bull, Jimmy Butler on the Heat and former teammates DeMar DeRozan (Chicago) versus Kyle Lowry (Miami). The Bulls and the Heat would go on to meet in the Eastern Conference play-ins in both of the next two years, with the Heat eliminating the Bulls from playoff contention in both of those games.

New York Knicks

Another franchise that the Bulls have competed fiercely with is the New York Knicks. The two teams met in the playoffs in four consecutive years (1991–1994) and again in 1996, with the teams' series twice (1992 and 1994) going the full seven games. Their first playoff confrontation, however, came in 1989 when both teams were called "teams on the rise" under Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing, respectively (rivalry that started their freshman year in the 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game with Jordan hitting the deciding jumper of the final). That first confrontation would belong to Chicago with six games of the Eastern Semifinals. The Bulls won in the first three years (1991–1993) before losing in 1994 but got revenge in 1996. As with Detroit, the historic rivalry between the cities has led to animosity between the teams and occasionally their fans.

Boston Celtics

The Bulls-Celtics rivalry is a historic NBA clash defined by 1980s battles between Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, including Jordan's 63-point playoff game in 1986. It continued through intense 2000s playoff series and remains a significant matchup due to the storied history and contrasting team building philosophies. The Celtics dominated early matchups, setting the stage for legendary battles. In the 1986 playoffs, Jordan scored a record 63 points against the Celtics, prompting Larry Bird to say it was "God disguised as Michael Jordan". The Bulls overcame their early losses to the Celtics, with the rivalry fading slightly as the Bulls began their 1990s championship run while Boston rebuilt. The rivalry was renewed with a thrilling 2009 first-round series, featuring seven games with four overtimes, which the Celtics won. A 2017 matchup also saw intense play.

Traditions

Starting lineup introductions

During the Bulls' run of dominance, the player introductions became world-famous. Longtime announcer Tommy Edwards was the first to use "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons Project, "On The Run" by Pink Floyd, and other songs in game presentation in the NBA. When Edwards moved to Boston for employment with CBS Radio, he was replaced by Ray Clay in 1990, and Clay continued many of the traditional aspects of the Bulls introductions, including "On The Run" and "Sirius" for all six championship runs.

The starting lineup sequence is typically done as follows: The lights are first dimmed during the visiting team introduction, accompanied by first "On The Run" during the 90s, then "The Imperial March" from Star Wars, composed by John Williams during the 2000s, and most recently "Tick of the Clock" by Chromatics since the 2010s. Virtually all lights in the stadium are then shut off for the Bulls introduction (since the 2010s, after a short countdown from Bulls players promoting their "See Red" campaign), and a spotlight illuminates each player as he is introduced and runs onto the court. At Chicago Stadium, there was just one spotlight, that focused on the fans, then the introduced players. When the Bulls moved to the United Center, multiple spotlights as well as lasers and fireworks were added, as well as a 3D-animated 'Running of the Bulls' video, which has been updated numerous times. The first version of the video debuted with the United Center in 1994 on their Sony Jumbotron, which showed a first-person POV of the Bulls running to the United Center. In 1997, the video was updated, now with a third-person POV of the Bulls, as well as prominently showing the Michael Jordan Statue as the Bulls arrive to the United Center and a Bull standing on top of the United Center. The video was updated again in 2002 with Bulls highlights, then again in 2006 to show more realistic Bulls, which was the first to show the Bulls smashing a bus of the other teams logo as they arrive to the United Center. The most recent version of the intro debuted in 2014, which removed the Bull on top of United Center as well as the bus, but showed more realistic Bulls, as well as humans, with live-action filming used for the first time throughout the city of Chicago. In 2016, the Bulls ended the use of lasers and fireworks on court and replaced them with an on-court projection, also showing Bulls, which temporality replaced the second half of the Running of the Bulls video before the projection was dropped in 2018, adding back in the second half of the video. In 2019, the bus was added back, as well as a readjusting of the video to fill up the new United Center scoreboard. The Bulls also added back lasers and multiple spotlights on court, with a part of the intro meant to resemble the court during the Bulls intros of the 90s.

Black shoes and socks

The Bulls have an unofficial tradition of wearing black shoes (regardless of being home or away) during the playoffs, which dates all the way back to 1989 when they debuted the tradition. Then-Bulls backup center Brad Sellers suggested to wear black shoes as a way to show unity within the team. For the 1996 playoffs, they became the first team to wear black socks with the black shoes, similar to the University of Michigan and the Fab Five which started the trend in college earlier in the decade. Since then, many teams have this look in both the regular season and playoffs. It was noted when the Bulls made their first playoff appearance during the 2004–05 season after a six-year hiatus, they continued the tradition and wore black shoes.

Even though the Bulls generally wear black footwear in the playoffs since 1989, there have been some notable exceptions. In the 1995 playoffs against the Magic, when Michael Jordan debuted his Air Jordan XI shoe, he wore the white colorway during the Bulls' playoff games in Orlando. He was fined by the Bulls for not complying with their colorway policy. Eventually, Jordan was forced to wear Penny Hardaway's signature black Nike Air Flight One sneakers during Game 3 as a black colorway of the Air Jordan XI was still unavailable. During the 2009 playoffs, the Bulls again broke the tradition when all of their players wore white shoes and socks in Game 3 of the first round against the Boston Celtics. More recently, since the NBA's relaxation of sneaker color rules, some Bulls players wore either red or white sneakers in defiance of the tradition.

Circus trip

The Bulls and their arena mates, the Chicago Blackhawks, shared an odd tradition dating to the opening of Chicago Stadium. Every fall, Feld Entertainment's now-defunct Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to Chicago on its nationwide tour. Since it used large indoor venues rather than tents, it took over the United Center for its entire run and the Bulls were forced, along with the Blackhawks, to take an extended road trip that lasted about two weeks. Initially local newspapers and television and radio sportscasters, and later national programs like SportsCenter, referred to this fortnight-long local hiatus as "the circus trip". Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz, who co-owned the United Center with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, let the contract lapse after the circus' 2016 run, and condensed the formerly two-week local run of Feld's Disney on Ice to a week-long period effective February 2018. The circus itself would be discontinued in 2017.

Name, logo, and uniforms

Name

Dick Klein wanted a name that evoked Chicago's traditional meat packing industry (similarly to the forerunner Packers franchise) and the Chicago Stadium's proximity to the Union Stock Yards. Klein considered names like Matadors or Toreadors, but dismissed them, saying, "If you think about it, no team with as many as three syllables in its nickname has ever had much success except for the Montreal Canadiens." After discussing possible names with his family, Klein settled on Bulls when his son Mark said, "Dad, that's a bunch of bull!"

Logo

The Bulls are unique in the fact they have used the same logo with very little change since the team's inception. The iconic logo is a red, charging bull's face. The logo was designed by noted American graphic designer Dean P. Wessel and was adopted in 1966. At one point, the Bulls also had an alternate logo during the early 1970s, featuring the same Bulls logo, but with a cloud that says "Windy City" below the bull's nose.

Uniforms

The Bulls wear three different uniforms: a white uniform, a red uniform, and a black alternate uniform. The original uniforms were esthetically close to the current design, featuring the iconic diamond surrounding the Bulls logo on the shorts and block lettering. What distinguished the original uniforms were the black drop shadows, red or white side stripes with black borders, and white lettering on the red uniforms. For the 1969–70 season, the red uniforms were tweaked to include the city name.

For the 1973–74 season, the Bulls drastically changed their look, removing the side stripes and drop shadows while moving the front numbers to the left chest. While the white uniforms saw the "Bulls" wordmark go from a vertically arched to radially arched arrangement, the red uniforms saw a more significant makeover, featuring black lettering and a script "Chicago" wordmark. With a few tweaks in the lettering, these uniforms were used until 1985.

This uniform set was later revived as a throwback uniform during the 2003–04 and 2015–16 seasons.

Starting with the 1985–86 season, the Bulls updated their uniform. Among the more notable changes in the look were centered uniform numbers and a vertically arched "Bulls" wordmark in both the red and white uniforms. Like the previous set, this uniform saw a few tweaks particularly in the treatment of the player's name.

When Nike became the NBA's uniform provider in 2017, the Bulls kept much of the same look save for the truncated shoulder striping and the addition of the Chicago four stars on the waistline. With Nike and the NBA eliminating designations on home and away uniforms, the Bulls also announced that their red "Icon" uniforms would become their home uniforms, and the white "Association" uniforms would become their away uniforms. The Bulls would continue to wear red "Icon" uniforms in home games until the 2020–21 season, after which they returned to wearing the white "Association" uniforms in home games starting in the 2021–22 season.

In the 1995–96 season, the Bulls added a black uniform to their set. The initial look featured red pinstripes and lacked the classic diamond on the shorts. This set was revived as throwback uniforms in the 2012–13 seasons.

Mascots

Benny the Bull is the main mascot of the Chicago Bulls. He was first introduced in 1969. Benny is a red bull who wears number 1. Benny is one of the oldest and best-known mascots in all of professional sports. The Bulls also had another mascot named Da Bull. Introduced in 1995, he was described on the team website as being the high-flying cousin of Benny, known for his dunking skills. The man who portrayed Da Bull was arrested in 2004 for possession and selling marijuana from his car. Da Bull was retired soon after the incident. While Benny has a family-friendly design, Da Bull was designed as a more realistic bull. Unlike Benny, Da Bull was brown. He also had a meaner facial expression and wore number 95.

Season-by-season record

List of the last five seasons completed by the Bulls. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Chicago Bulls seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage

Training facilities

Alumni Hall on DePaul University's Lincoln Park campus was the practice facility for the Bulls in the 1960s and 1970s.

In the early '80s the team practiced at Angel Guardian, a former orphanage located in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. In 1985, the Bulls moved practices to the Multiplex health club in Deerfield, Illinois. In 1992, the team moved to a newly built private facility, the Sheri L. Berto Center in Deerfield.

On June 13, 2012, the team announced that it would move its practice facility to a downtown location closer to the United Center to reduce game day commutes. On September 12, 2014, the Bulls officially opened their new training facility, the Advocate Center (named after the Advocate Medical Group, one of the medicine-practicing firms that serves Chicago), a block east of the United Center.

Personnel

Retained draft rights

The Bulls hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player, either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by the team that drafted him, is allowed to sign with any non-NBA teams. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends. This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams.

Franchise leaders

Bold denotes still active with the team. Italics denotes still active, but not with the team.

Points scored (regular season) (as of the end of the 2025–26 season)

Other statistics (regular season) (as of the end of the 2025–26 season)

Hall of Famers, retired, and honored numbers

Basketball Hall of Famers

Notes:

1 In total, Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team.

2 In total, Pippen was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team.

3 He also played for the team in 1966–1976.

4 Colangelo worked as a marketing director, scout, and assistant to the president of the team.

5 He also coached the team in 1981–1982.

6 In total, Wade was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 2008 Olympic team.

FIBA Hall of Famers

Notes:

1 In total, Jordan was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team.

Retired numbers and honorees

The NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all its member teams on August 11, 2022.

1 Worn by B. J. Armstrong at the time the number was retired, and was allowed to keep it until his departure in 1995.

2 Jordan also wore #12 for one game in 1990 due to a stolen jersey, and #45 for part of the 1994–95 season.

Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor

On January 12, 2024, the Bulls introduced the Ring of Honor, which honors former players and other personnel. On September 12, 2025, the Bulls announced 6 more members to the Ring of Honor – Johnny Bach, Cartwright, Neil Funk, Grant, Paxson and Van Lier.

The inaugural class of Ring of Honor inductees included all personnel (players, coaches, executives, etc.) who have had their number retired or were honored with similar banners in the rafters, as well as a number of other contributors to the team over the years, such as original owner Dick Klein and assistant coach Tex Winter. Plans were made to induct a class every two years for people with at least three seasons with the Bulls and being retired from basketball for at least three years.

Media

Radio

The team's games are broadcast on Entercom's WSCR (670) as of February 3, 2018. From October 2015 – January 2018, games were carried on Cumulus Media's WLS (890) in a deal that was expected to last until the 2020–21 season, but was nullified in the middle of the 2017–18 season after Cumulus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and nullified several large play-by-play and talent contracts.

Chuck Swirsky does play-by-play, with Bill Wennington providing color commentary. Univision Radio's WRTO (1200) has carried Spanish language game coverage since 2009–10, with Omar Ramos as play-by-play announcer and Matt Moreno as color analyst.

Television

The Bulls' television broadcasts are televised by Chicago Sports Network, which broadcasts all of the games that are not televised nationally as of the 2024–2025 season. For many years, broadcasts were split between NBC Sports Chicago (and prior to that, FSN Chicago), WGN-TV, and WCIU-TV. The announcers are Adam Amin and Stacey King. Jason Benetti fills in for Amin whenever the latter is assigned to work for Fox Sports.

On January 2, 2019, the Bulls (along with the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Blackhawks) agreed to an exclusive multi-year deal with NBC Sports Chicago, ending the team's broadcasts on WGN-TV following the 2018–19 season. The Bulls left NBC Sports Chicago at the end of the 2023–2024 season, moving to the new Chicago Sports Network in 2024.

In 2020, the Chicago Bulls received significant media coverage following the release of The Last Dance, a critically acclaimed ESPN and Netflix documentary miniseries that chronicled Michael Jordan's career with the Bulls, with a particular focus on the team's 1997–98 championship season. The series reignited widespread interest in the Bulls' dominant run during the 1990s, leading to increased discussions across sports media and a surge in viewership for Bulls-related broadcasts.

Some games are televised nationally on ABC, NBC, and ESPN, or streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock. All non nationally televised games are on NBA League Pass