Picking guys like Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose at the top of the draft were easy for the Chicago Bulls. After all, their talent and athleticism were off the charts and they were expected to make an immediate impact.
However, while the Bulls have been fortunate to get top-tier guys, they have also shown a knack for finding diamonds in the rough late in the draft.
For this piece, we ranked the top four draft steals in Bulls franchise history, all of whom were drafted from the 26th pick or above.
4. Chris Duhon
The Bulls selected Duhon with the 38th overall pick in the 2004 draft. He was a star at Duke where he won an NCAA championship and the 2001 ACC Rookie of the Year Award.
During his rookie season with the Bulls, Duhon appeared in all 82 games, starting 73. He averaged 5.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 26.5 minutes per night while shooting 35.2 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc.
The 2004-05 Bulls were the first Chicago team to make the playoffs in the post-Jordan era. The Bulls lost to Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards in the first round of the 2005 postseason despite taking a 2-0 series lead.
The following season, Duhon increased his points per game average to 8.7. He finished his Bulls career with averages of 6.9 points and 4.5 assists, which isn't too bad considering he was a second-rounder.
3. Taj Gibson
The Bulls drafted Gibson with the 26th overall pick in the 2009 draft and watched him turn into one of the most popular players in the post-Jordan era.
Gibson averaged 26.9 minutes per game as a rookie because his defensive ability was simply stellar for a youngster. That's what happens when you play three years of college ball. Taj played at USC and was such a smart player on both ends of the court.
In 2009-10, the Bulls lost to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs in five quick games. Gibson, though, impressed by putting up 7.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in the series.
The Bulls signed Carlos Boozer in the summer of 2010 after missing out on James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Although Boozer started games during his tenure with the Bulls, Chicago head coach Tom Thibodeau trusted Gibson to close out fourth quarters over Boozer since Taj was the superior defender.
The 2010-11 Bulls had the best record in the NBA behind MVP D-Rose. Gibson, meanwhile, had one of the nastiest dunks in playoff history over Wade in Game 1 of the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals at the United Center. Chicago fans still get goosebumps when they see that replay.
Gibson finished his Bulls career with averages of 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. He's 10th in franchise history in games played and fifth in blocks.
2. Jimmy Butler
The Bulls took a chance on Butler with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 draft and boy did it pay off big time.
During his rookie season in Chicago, Butler only played 8.5 minutes per contest since the Bulls were title contenders and didn't really need a rookie in the lineup. However, under the tutelage of Bulls wing Luol Deng and coach Thibs, Butler worked hard on his craft and turned into an All-Star for the team pretty quickly.
After Rose tore his ACL in the 2012 playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers and missed the entire 2012-13 season, Butler’s minutes and role increased with Chicago. The Texas native averaged 26.0 minutes per game in the 2012-13 season and 38.7 in the following campaign, earning Thibodeau's trust.
The 2014-15 campaign was Butler’s breakout season in the NBA. He averaged 20.0 points, won the 2015 Most Improved Player of the Year Award and made his first All-Star team. It was a great story since Jimmy used to be homeless.
From 2014-2017, Butler averaged 21.7 points for the Bulls. He finished his Chicago career with averages of 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
1. Toni Kukoc
The Bulls drafted Kukoc with the 29th overall pick in the 1990 draft. However, he didn’t make his NBA debut until the 1993 season since he was playing overseas.
Once he got to the Bulls, Kukoc instantly became a fan favorite. The versatile forward was part of three championship teams in the Windy City, not to mention he also won the 1996 Sixth Man of the Year Award. Kukoc averaged 13.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists for Chicago that season.
Toni finished his Bulls career with averages of 14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He’s hit the 10th-most 3-pointers in franchise history and was a key cog for Chicago in their title runs.
Arturas Karnisovas is the new man in charge of Chicago moving forward. Fans are hoping he can draft a few steals during his tenure.
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