10. Michael Jordan’s shadow
Since he was in high school, LeBron James has been hailed the next Michael Jordan. This year, while winning his first MVP award, the comparisons continued. But until you win an NBA championship, the best a player can do is become the next Charles Barkley. I’m guessing LBJ knows which team MJ and the Bulls beat for their first title, knowing he may do the same.
9. Never-used backups
On the Nuggets roster is Steven Hunter, who played at DePaul before bouncing around several NBA teams. The Rockets have Brian Cook, who was Big 10 Player of the Year at Illinois before going pro. And Boston has Chicago-native Tony Allen, whose most note-worthy accomplishment this post-season was bricking two jumpers in Game 6 of Bulls-Celtics which helped the Bulls comeback to tie it in regulation. There is one native who is making an impact off the bench…
8. Shannon Brown
Not only is he a former Bull, but the Lakers backup point guard was also the 2003 Illinois Mr. Basketball during his senior year at Proviso East. In the 2009 Playoffs, he’s averaging seven points in 16 minutes a game, providing nice energy off the LA bench. He wasn’t good enough to play for Jim Boylan last season though.
7. Doug Collins
How would the Bulls have done in 2008-09 if Jerry Reinsdorf had decided to pull the trigger and hire Collins for his second term as head coach? That’s a question that will never be answered. The question that does have an answer is who is the best basketball analyst out there, and it’s Doug Collins on TNT.
6. Ben Wallace
5. Aftermath of Bulls-Celtics
It ended nearly two weeks ago, but the seven-game classic is still resonating in the playoffs. Rajon Rondo punching Brad Miller in the face and throwing Kirk Hinrich into the scorers table started a run of flagrant fouls in other series’. The length, including all the overtimes, has fatigued Boston at times versus Orlando. And more squads are going to the small lineup that the Bulls used for several key stretches in round one.
4. JR Smith
He never played a game for the Bulls, but Denver’s sixth man was actually on the team for about a week in the summer of 2006. After signing Ben Wallace, the Bulls traded center Tyson Chandler to the Hornets for PJ Brown and Smith. Because the team already had Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon and the recently drafted Thabo Sefelosha in the backcourt, they cut Smith. He signed with the Nuggets and is now averaging 16 points a game during Denver’s playoff run.
3. Ron Artest
The 2002 trade the sent Artest, Ron Mercer, Brad Miller and Kevin Ollie to the Pacers for Jalen Rose, Travis Best and a draft pick changed NBA history. It meant the man who wound up going into the stands to fight a fan was wearing an Indiana uniform and not a Chicago one, and it also set the Bulls back a good four years in their re-building plan. Now with the Rockets, Artest has developed into an all-around player, adding some scoring ability to go along with the tenacious defense he’s brought since he came into the league.
2. Doc Rivers
The head coach of the Celtics was born and raised in Chicago, attending Proviso East before starring at Marquette. He then went on to play 13 years in the NBA before becoming a coach. His Boston squad won the NBA Title last season and despite missing their best player, sort of Chicago-native Kevin Garnett, they are within one win of heading back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
1. Phil Jackson
No matter how long he coaches the Lakers, no matter how many Finals he appears in with LA, he’ll always be a Bull. The Zen Master is still running the triangle offense, though it’s isn’t having as much success as some expected, considering the Lakers are now starring Game 7 in the face versus the Rockets. Maybe it’s me, but I say the offense doesn’t work as well without Michael and Scottie.
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