Chicago Bulls: Dennis Rodman and the 10 Best Role Players of the Dynasty Era

After losing to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA playoffs for four straight years, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls finally captured a title in 1991.

That '91 title wouldn't be their last, though. Chicago would collect five more in the '90s, becoming the league's greatest dynasty since Bill Russell's Boston Celtics way back in the 1950s and '60s.  

Jordan was "The Man" for the Bulls. Arguably the greatest player in NBA history, "His Airness" was named Finals MVP for all six of the team's championships.

MJ's running mate, Scottie Pippen, contributed to Chicago's success as well. Certainly one of the greatest defensive players of all time, Pip' was the team's second-leading scorer during the great dynasty and without him, there would be no dynasty. 

However, Jordan and Pippen didn't win all those titles by themselves. The legendary dynamic duo had help from a solid supporting cast during both three-peats.

Here is a look at the Bulls' top 10 greatest role players from the memorable 90's dynasty.       

10. Bill Wennington

Following five seasons in Dallas and a then one year in Sacramento, Bill Wennington signed with the Bulls as a free agent before the 1993-94 campaign. 

During his six years in Chicago, the Canadian center would help the Bulls win three titles, backing up starter Luc Longley in the middle. 

Wennington was known as a solid role player who could come off the bench and hit the 15-foot jumper.

9. Luc Longley

The Minnesota Timberwolves made Luc Longley the seventh overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft.

The 7'2" big man from Australia never quite developed into a franchise NBA center. However, he eventually became a starter for the Bulls during their second three-peat.

Longley was traded from Minnesota to Chicago in exchange for backup forward Stacey King midway through the 1993-94 season.  

8. Bill Cartwright

Bill Cartwright was traded from the New York Knicks to the Bulls in 1988 for forward Charles Oakley.

Cartwright would instantly become the team's starting center, replacing the trio of Artis Gilmore, Dave Corzine and Mike Brown.

Later, Cartwright would help Chicago win their first three titles, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns respectively in the NBA Finals.

7. Ron Harper

A lottery pick in 1986, Ron Harper was the type of player who could score 20 points a night during his first eight seasons in the league in Cleveland, and with the Los Angeles Clippers.

But after signing with the Bulls in 1994, Harper's scoring decreased dramatically. In Chicago, he wasn't the scorer that he once, however, he served as a nice perimeter defender starting in the backcourt beside Michael Jordan.

Harper was the Bulls' starting point guard during the team's second three-peat.       

6. B.J. Armstrong

The Bulls drafted B.J. Armstrong 18th overall in 1989. The Detroit native and former University of Iowa star would later prove to be an NBA draft steal.

Armstrong helped the Bulls win titles from 1991-1993 as a long-range shooting threat. He backed up John Paxson at point guard for the first two titles before becoming the starter for the third.

Drafted by the Toronto Raptors in the 1995 Expansion draft, Armstrong didn't get the opportunity to collect three additional championships in Chicago.

5. Steve Kerr

Before signing with Chicago in 1993, Steve Kerr was nothing more than a 12th man with the Orlando Magic.

But as a Bull, Kerr would eventually develop into one of the NBA's most dangerous outside shooters of all time.

Perhaps his biggest shot in a Bulls uniform came in Game 6 of the '97 Finals when he hit the game-clinching shot vs. Utah. 

Kerr came off the bench for three of Chicago's title-winning ball clubs.

4. John Paxson

John Paxson is currently the Bulls' Vice President of Basketball Operations. But, before his days as a executive, he was drilling three-pointers for Chicago as a player.

Drafted by San Antonio in 1983, Paxson signed with the Bulls as a free agent in 1985. The sharp-shooter from Notre Dame would go on to play nine seasons with the Bulls.

Paxson was the starting point guard on both the '91 and '92 championship-winning ball clubs. Coming off the bench in '93, he hit one of the most clutch shots in NBA history: Nailing a three- pointer in Game 6 of the Finals, which helped the Bulls defeat Phoenix and win their third straight title.          

3. Toni Kukoc

Toni Kukoc was drafted by Chicago in the second round (29th overall) of the 1990 NBA draft. That would prove to be one of GM Jerry Krause's smartest moves.

Finally joining the Bulls in 1993, Kukoc went on to be the team's best bench player during the second three-peat. The "Croatian Sensation" was named the NBA's Six Man of the Year in 1996, the same year the team won a record-setting 72 ball games.

If the Bulls' roster didn't include superstars Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Kukoc probably would have been an All-Star. 

2. Horace Grant

Horace Grant joined the Bulls in 1987 as he was drafted by the team 10th overall.

The goggle-wearing power forward became a starter in Chicago during his second season in the league after Charles Oakley was dealt to New York.

Grant's rebounding and defense helped the Bulls win their first three titles from 1991-1993. And he was the team's third-leading scorer behind Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen during those championship years. 

Leaving Chicago to sign a deal with Orlando in 1994, Grant would miss out on the Bulls' second-three peat (1996-1998).      

1. Dennis Rodman

In the offseason before the 1995-96 season, the Bulls were in desperate need of a starting power forward to replace Horace Grant.

The team was interested in Jayson Williams, but the New Jersey Nets free agent would never end up in a Bulls uniform.

However, Dennis Rodman, one of the best rebounders to ever play the game, would make his way to Chicago as he was acquired from San Antonio in exchange for WiIl Perdue.

Rodman in Bulls' red and black seemed a bit strange seeing that he was a Detroit Piston during the unforgettable Chicago-Detroit rivalry in the late '80s and early '90s.

Rodman, though, would quickly make Bulls fans forget about his "Boy Boy" days in Detroit and teamed with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to form one of the greatest trios in NBA history.

The Hall of Fame "Worm" provided top-notch rebounding and hard-nose defense to the Bulls' lineup. And the team would win a title in each of his three seasons in the Windy City.