In an official statement released on Wednesday morning, the Chicago Bulls announced that Horace Grant will serve as the team's representative at the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery.
We are excited to announce that Bulls legend Horace Grant will be our 2019 NBA Draft Lottery representative! pic.twitter.com/WGozJtoWW9
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) May 8, 2019
Grant, now 53 years of age, is a Bulls legend. The Georgia native joined the franchise in 1987 as their 10th overall pick in the draft, teaming up with Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan.
Grant earned a starting role with the Bulls in 1989 after Charles Oakley was traded to the New York Knicks. In a relatively short period of time, Grant established himself as the Chicago's leading rebounder, as well as their third option on offense.
A solid defender, Grant earned All-Defensive Team honors four times and helped the Bulls win three consecutive championships in the early '90s (1991, 1992 and 1993).
Grant became a fan favorite for a variety of reasons, and the protective goggles he wore made him a recognizable figure — even from a distance. They weren't just for show, though. The goggles that Grant wore had prescription lenses built in, as he suffered from nearsightedness. And though he later had LASIK surgery to correct his vision, Grant continued to wear the goggles as an inspiration to young athletes with vision ailments.
The Bulls finished the 2018-19 regular season with a 22-60 overall record, leaving the team with a 12.5 percent chance of landing the number one pick in the upcoming draft lottery. Who they might select with the No. 1 overall pick is still up for debate, but many experts believe that Duke's Zion Williamson will be taken first.
If anyone is deserving of this honor from the Bulls, it Horace Grant. The only question left to ask now is whether or not he'll sport the goggles on draft day.
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