Joakim Noah and the 5 Best Centers in Chicago Bulls History

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Several quality guards and forwards are a part of Chicago Bulls history, but you shouldn't overlook the center position.  

It's time to go ahead and rank the Bulls' five greatest pivot men of all time. Guys who didn't make the list include Clifford Ray, Ben Wallace, Eddy "Baby Shaq" Curry as well as Brad Miller, who had two stints with the franchise.

Also, don't look for any members of the 1990s' "Three-Headed Monster," which consisted of champions Luc Longley, Bill Wennington and Will "The Thrill" Perdue.

Let's begin. 

5. Dave Corzine

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During the summer of 1982, Corzine was traded by the San Antonio Spurs to the Bulls for fellow center Artis Gilmore.

The Chicago-area native and former DePaul University star wound play seven years with his hometown NBA club.  

His debut season with the Bulls, 1982-83, was the best of Corzine's career, as he produced 14 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest.

He ranks among the Bulls' career leaders in games played, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, total rebounds as well as blocks.

Corzine was traded to Orlando in 1989, meaning that he missed out on the Bulls' first three-peat of the early '90s.

4. Joakim Noah

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Well, it's no surprise that Noah made the list since his name is in the title of the slideshow.

Since he's an active player, Noah has a chance to move up on this list in the future.

The Bulls made him the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, after leading Florida to back-to-back national championships.

Noah currently ranks eighth all-time in Bulls history in both offensive rebounds (1062) and blocked shots (438).

2012-13 will be his sixth season patrolling the paint for Chicago. Can he finally make the Eastern Conference All-Star squad? 

3. Bill Cartwright

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In June 1988, Cartwright was traded to Chicago in a deal which sent Charles Oakley to the eventual rival New York Knicks.

Cartwright would later prove to be the missing piece in the Bulls' championship puzzle. He was a starter on the 1991, 1992 and 1993 title teams, which were led by the superstar duo of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

During his days as a Knick, Cartwright was once the type of player who could put up 20 points a night. However, he became more of a role player once he relocated to Chicago. 

He spent six seasons with the Bulls as a player in the late late '80s and '90s, and three seasons as the team's head coach during the early to mid-2000s.

2. Tom Boerwinkle

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Yes, Boerwinkle has a rather unusual name, but he served as a solid big man for the Bulls in the late 1960s and '70s.

The seven-footer from the University of Tennessee was selected by the Bulls with the fourth overall pick in the 1968 NBA draft.

Boerwinkle went on to spend his entire 10-year career in the Windy City, averaging double figures in rebounding five different seasons.

During the 1970-71 campaign, he reached career-highs in both scoring (10.8 ppg) and rebounding (13.8 rpg). 

No player in Bulls history has grabbed more total rebounds than Boerwinkle other than the great Michael Jordan.  

1. Artis Gilmore

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Gilmore, the only Hall of Famer on the list, is hands-down the greatest center in Bulls history. It's an utter shame that it took him 17 years to get voted into the Hall.

The "A-Train" was drafted by the Bulls in the 1976 dispersal draft, following five legendary seasons with the ABA's Kentucky Colonels.

Gilmore would have two stints in Chicago, averaging roughly 20 points and 11 boards per game during his first go-round with the team.

Four of his six career NBA All-Star selections came as a member of the Bulls.