Chicago Bulls: 4 Spark Plugs in the Last 25 Years

Winning teams are defined through stars and skilled role players. But overlooked are the players I call spark plugs. Their contributions rarely show up in the box score.

These spark plugs provide that something extra. They provide the added element which shapes the team in response to a need. While their contributions are small, they lead by example.

Spark plugs are often limited when it comes to being star athletes, but their energy level transmits and shapes the team's identity. The spark plugs in the following four slides helped shape Chicago Bulls' history. 

Ed Nealy

Ed Nealy joined the Chicago Bulls in 1988 after being released from the San Antonio Spurs. He played with the Bulls from 1988 to 1990.

He was signed to provide toughness as a veteran who understood the inside technique of rebounding. The Bulls had a major hurdle to overcome in division rival the Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls were more athletic upfront when it came to rebounding, but they lost the battle when it came to inside technique. Ed Nealy stepped in and provided this need. This wide-bodied veteran also provided leadership in practice.

As a result, Bulls fans saw consistency in Horace Grant’s rebounding along with added inside rebound positioning skills. This spark plug left behind building blocks to later championships. 

Sam Vincent

Picked up in a trade with the Seattle Supersonics, Sam Vincent provided a spark plug right away. The Chicago Bulls had young upstarts in Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant and needed a point guard to distribute the ball.

In 29 games with the Bulls to end the 1987-1988 NBA season, he scored 13.0 points per game and handed out 8.4 assists per game.

His short stint with the Bulls put on full display the need for someone to facilitate the offense full-time. Scottie Pippen eventually stepped into that gap.

But for a short period Sam Vincent provided a spark plug and answered the Chicago Bulls' floor leader question. 

Adrian Griffin

The Chicago Bulls enjoyed having this veteran on the team. He was picked up leading into the 2004-2005 season to aid rookies Andres Nocioni and Luo Deng in their transition into the NBA.

A veteran aiding rookies does not show up in the stat sheet and translate to the average fan. The Chicago Bulls clearly saw a need for this spark plug when they brought him back in 2006, around the time Tyrus Thomas was a rookie. 

Tyrus Thomas did not respond to a veteran mentor the way Nocioni and Deng did. However, Adrian Griffin’s ability to go from a good role player in the past with other teams to a spark plug for the Bulls cannot be overlooked.

His leadership helped build the team back to the competitive team we see today.

Cliff Levingston

A big portion of Levingston's career was in the same division with rivals like the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks. When he signed with the Chicago Bulls leading to the 1990-1991 season, most Chicago Bulls fans knew he would fit in.

He was known for his rebounding and energy level. He played both forward positions. In many ways, his signing was an upgrade to Ed Nealy’s toughness and inside rebounding skills.

He was picked up to help match the Detroit Pistons' bench and go toe-to-toe with players like John Salley. His experience in the division provided the spark plug the team needed.

Nothing surprised this veteran when it came to the Detroit Pistons.  He only played 11 to 13 minutes a game, but sometimes that’s all a team needs out of a spark plug.