On Saturday, the Chicago Bulls will host a special occasion, aside from taking on the Washington Wizards. The day after their 36-point loss to the Miami Heat, the game will be the annual Ring of Honor ceremony, which recognizes the organization's legends.
This year, the Bulls will celebrate the legacies of Horace Grant, John Paxton, Bill Cartwright, Norm Van Lier, Neil Funk, and Johnny Bach. Before the game, head coach Billy Donovan provided a statement of gratitude to the individuals being honored.
“I think it’s awesome,” Donovan said. “All the people that have contributed to the organization and the success here is remarkable. It’s great to see all those guys get rewarded and acknowledged. Obviously, their own individual accomplishments and the team accomplishments that they’ve been a part of.”
Bulls coach Billy Donovan congratulates the Ring of Honor inductees
“I think it’s awesome,” Donovan said. “All the people that have contributed to the organization and the success here is remarkable. It’s great to see all those guys get rewarded and acknowledged.” pic.twitter.com/5G0WhwKm5N
— Zachary Draves (@DravesZachary) November 23, 2025
This is the second time the Bulls have hosted this occasion. In 2024, the first Ring of Honor ceremony celebrated the accomplishments of Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson, Jerry Krause, and, of course, Michael Jordan. It was also during that ceremony that the fans notoriously booed the announcement of Krause's widow's presence.
The ceremony will take place during halftime.
The accomplishments of the 2025 honorees
To begin with, Van Lier played for the Bulls from 1971 to 1978. During that stretch, he became a three-time NBA All-Star and was ranked 15th in scoring in franchise history. In 1977, Van Lier set the record for the longest field goal in NBA history from 84 feet.
Grant played for the Bulls from 1987 to 1994 and was an integral part of their first three-peat teams. He was a strong defender and rebounder who became an All-Star in 1994. Cartwright joined Chicago in 1988 and played until 1994.
He was also a critical part of the first three championship teams as the starting center. In 1997 and 1998, Cartwright won two more titles as an assistant coach. Paxton was the starting point guard for the first three-peat teams. In Game 6 of the 1993 Finals, Paxton hit the game-winning three-pointer against the Phoenix Suns.
Funk was a long-time Bulls play-by-play radio broadcaster for 29 years, including all six championship years. Bach was an assistant coach from 1986 to 1994. His most incredible legacy was orchestrating the “Doberman” defense, which was key to the Bulls' first three championship wins.
