Top Six Bulls Stories of 2021
We can safely say that this is the first time in a while that the Bulls and their fans can celebrate New Year’s Eve with a real sense of optimism about the future. Not only is the roster filled with exciting players that have reestablished a winning culture, but that very thing has made the Bulls contender in the Eastern Conference. What seemed like would take forever has come to pass much quicker than anyone expected. Here are six Bulls news items from the past year that reflect a year of actual change:
Zach LaVine is first-time All-Star, Olympic gold medalist
In the first sign that the Bulls have a real centerpiece, Zach LaVine was selected for the NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta. He made the most of the opportunity, scoring 13 points and recording three steals for Team Durant. He followed that up during the summer by being named to the U.S. team for the Tokyo Olympics. He helped the U.S. capture gold by averaging 9.7 points and 3.3 assists a game.
Bulls trade for Nikola Vucevic at deadline
The Bulls made a couple of deals as the 2020–21 trade deadline approached. One brought several new faces, including Javonte Green and Troy Brown Jr., to Chicago. Of course, the big one involved the acquisition of Orlando Magic All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, who had spent years giving a lot to a franchise that went nowhere. This move gave him an opportunity to start fresh and sent a message that Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley were not afraid to swing for the fences even if it meant falling short of the playoffs, which the Bulls did for the fifth time in six seasons.
Patrick Williams named to All-Rookie Second Team
One of the Bulls’ best stories from last season was the emergence of Patrick Williams as a starter in his first NBA season despite coming off the bench in college. Averages of 11.9 points and 5.9 rebounds a game gave him enough attention that he was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. It was the third time in four years the Bulls had an All-Rookie selection. How Williams develops from here will have to wait as a dislocated wrist he suffered early in his second season has sidelined him for the foreseeable future.
Ayo Dosunmu drafted in second round
Having traded their first-round pick in this year’s draft in the Vucevic deal, the Bulls only had a selection in the second round. As it turned out, they were lucky to have to draft Chicago native Ayo Dosunmu out of Illinois. While there are more talented rookies doing a lot more this season, Dosunmu has fit in perfectly with a team that runs on energy and seamless full-court basketball. It will be exciting to see what more he can offer as he figures out his place in the NBA.
Bulls revamp roster during busy offseason
Karnisovas and Eversley decided the Bulls were done waiting for draft picks to develop, so the only move was to go out and get some proven talent, which they did. They swung trades that brought Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan in and shipped veterans Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satornasky out. Alex Caruso and Tony Bradley were signed in free agency, and Lauri Markkanen was traded in a three-team deal that netted Derrick Jones Jr. The results have been immediate as both winning and fun have returned to the West Side.
Full crowds allowed back at United Center
While this story has very little to do with how the team itself is performing, it nonetheless is important to the overall game-day atmosphere. With COVID-19 vaccines widely available, the time came for the United Center to reopen at full capacity after a limited number of fans were allowed back for the final few home games of last season. Yes, masking and proof of full vaccination are required, but it’s a small price to pay for the thrill of enjoying Bulls basketball in person again. Based on how the team has been playing lately, does anyone even think about it half the time when they’re inside the arena?
