Former Chicago Bulls Artis Gilmore, assistant coach Tex Winter and Dennis Rodman are part of the Hall of Fame class of 2011.
Rodman did all the dirty work, and was the leading rebounder and defender on of three Bulls NBA championship teams, (96-98). He played in 199 regular season games with the Bulls and averaged 5.2 ppg, a franchise-best 15.3 rpg and 2.8 apg.
He led the NBA in rebounding three straight years, and his single-season rebounding averages of 14.9 rpg in 1996, 16.1 rpg in 1997 and 15.0 in 1998 rate as the three top rebounding averages in franchise history. He was also known for his “colorful” personality.
Rodman’s goofiness, weirdness and incessant publicity stunts took away from how great he was on the court.
He made NBA All-Defensive First Team in ’96. In Bulls history, he ranks seventh in offensive rebounds and eighth in defensive rebounds. He also holds the team’s single-season record for rebounds with 1,201, a record he established in 1998 at the age of 36.
Gilmore spent seven years with the Bulls (1976-82, 1987-88), and averaged 19.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.5 apg and 2.13 bpg and shot .587 in 482 career games. He made four NBA All-Star appearances and All-Defensive Second Team honors in 1978. He’s the Bulls all-time leader in field goal percentage, blocked shots, and second in defensive rebounds, fourth in free throws attempted, fourth in offensive rebounds, and fifth in total rebounding.
More impressively, Gilmore is also the NBA’s all-time leader in field goal percentage at .599.
Winter is known first and foremost as the architect of the Bulls’ famed triangle offense, and he was the right hand man of Phil Jackson for six NBA championships with the Bulls. Winter joined the Bulls as an assistant coach in 1985 and remained with the Bulls until 1999.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net , a Midwest webzine. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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