There is, without a doubt, no greater player in Chicago Bulls history than Michael Jordan. As a matter of fact, more than a few folks even have him as the greatest ever — and for good reason.
This is why it comes to no surprise that when it comes to the greatest moments in Bulls franchise history, nearly all of them center around MJ. We've compiled a Top 5 all-time great moments in Chicago's history, and here they are for your reading pleasure.
Championship #1
The Chicago Bulls were established in 1966, but it wasn't until two and a half decades later that the team were able to get their first championship in franchise history. This was, of course, thanks to Michael Jordan, who led the Bulls to their first title in 25 years.
Chicago drafted Jordan in 1984, but despite being the best player in the league, he wasn't able to lift the coveted championship until six years into his career. This was the culmination of Jordan's early career as he etched his name in history with his first NBA title in 1991.
For any sports franchise, there are few greater moments than winning your first ever championship, and the same holds true for the Bulls in 1991.
The Youngest MVP
There's only one non-MJ moment in this list, and it just had to be a Derrick Rose one. Rose is arguably the best player the Bulls have ever seen in the post-Jordan era, and there's no doubt that his greatest moment came when he won the Most Valuable Player award in 2011.
Rose took the basketball world by storm when the Bulls drafted him first overall in 2008. In just his third year in the league, he deservedly won the MVP title at just 22 years of age, making him the youngest MVP winner of all time. During that season, Rose averaged 25.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 1.6 triples per game.
For the record, Rose edged out Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant, to name a few, for that season's MVP trophy. Rose also carried the Bulls all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals that season — the farthest this team has gone since MJ's championships — falling only to the Miami Heat and the Big 3.
The Shot
As far as memorable on-court moments go, there is probably none greater than THE shot. The year was 1989 and Jordan and the Bulls were in the final moments of a five-game war against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. Cavs home floor, three seconds remaining, Chicago down one. Enter: Michael Jordan.
This was one of the defining moments of Jordan's career, and it remains to be one of the greatest moments in Bulls history. Thanks to MJ's heroics, Chicago would go all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, only to be eliminated by eventual champions, the Detroit Pistons. Jordan has made more than a few big shots in his career, but this is arguably the most iconic of them all.
The Return
Jordan broke the hearts of the Bulls faithful when he announced his retirement in 1993 after winning three consecutive titles. He was just 29 at that time, and the general belief was that he was turning his back on the sport in his prime. There are perhaps few darker moments in Bulls history than this.
As destiny would have it, though, MJ would make his return just one year later. Baseball was not really good to him, and thankfully, he returned to his one true love — basketball. Ask any Chiacago Bulls fan, and surely, they'll be able to describe in great detail the feeling they had the moment the Bulls announcer introduced Jordan in his first game back after a brief hiatus. “He's back!”
Championship #6
Four years into his triumphant return to the NBA, and Jordan would reach the very pinnacle of his career in 1998 when he won his sixth NBA title. This was also Chicago's sixth championship and their second three-peat after a two-year break. What makes this moment so great is that it cemented Jordan's legacy as arguably the greatest player of all time.
This championship also produced one of the best moments in playoffs and NBA Finals history. Up to this very day, that game-winning jumper MJ made in Game 6 of the Finals, in the Utah Jazz's home floor, with a hapless Byron Russell seemingly a mile away, remains fresh in our memory. Jordan's shot against the Cavs may have been his best game-winning moment, but this was has got to be an extremely close second.
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