Chicago Bulls: 10 Best Individual Seasons Not by Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan, without a doubt, provided the Chicago Bulls with their most magical performances.  No one can doubt that he stands as the most towering figure in Bulls franchise history. 

Besides, Jordan is argued to be the greatest basketball player ever. 

Further, he holds 20 Bulls franchise records.  He led them to six championships.  The significance of any other player on the Bulls franchise isn't even close.  Jordan had 204.5 win shares for the Bulls.  Second is Scottie Pippen with 99.7.  He is the reason that the Bulls are anywhere in NBA lore.

What can be debated is the impact of players other than Jordan.  The seasons in which the Bulls were successful without Jordan are a bit scarce.  In only 12 of the 32 Bulls seasons that did not feature Jordan did the Bulls have a winning season. 

Only two Bulls players other than Jordan have averaged 25 points per game.  Jordan has the 11 highest season scoring averages in Bulls history.  Thus, taking Jordan out of the equation makes the debate of greatest Bulls seasons more interesting.

Following is a list of the 10 greatest single-season performances by Bulls players other than Michael Jordan.

10. Orlando Woolridge 1984-85

22.9 PPG 5.6 RPG 55.4% FG 78.5% FT

Woolridge had a dynamic scoring campaign during Michael Jordan's rookie year.  No one told Woolridge that he was playing next to a legend in the making, and Woolridge might not have cared otherwise. 

In fact, Bulls head coach Kevin Loughery encouraged Woolridge to compete with Jordan for scoring opportunities.  He wanted to let Jordan know that he wouldn't funnel the ball to him every time. 

Woolridge certainly competed with Jordan for scoring.  He averaged 15.9 field goal attempts per game, 3.9 fewer than Jordan.  The two combined for 51.1 points per game.  It would be twelve years later when two Bulls players next averaged 20 points per game.

Woolridge was 10th in the league in field goal percentage in 1984-85.  That mark is also ninth in franchise history.  Also, Woolridge collected 7.4 offensive win shares—ninth in the NBA—and nine overall, which was five fewer than Jordan.

9. Reggie Theus 1982-83

23.8 PPG 5.9 APG 47.8% FG 80.1% FT

Theus has a star year in a down year for the Bulls. 

While the Bulls went 28-54, Theus was one of the leading scorers.  He was ninth in the NBA in points per game and fifth in total points (1953). 

Theus didn't have much help, as only two other players averaged 10 points per game for the Bulls that season.  Woolridge was second on the team, averaging 16.5 points per game.

8. Elton Brand 1999-00

20.1 PPG 10.0 RPG 1.6 BPG 48.3% FG

Generally, it's hard to imagine a rookie having one of the great seasons in a franchise's history.  Then again, the Bulls haven't had a great number of high-scoring big men.

After becoming the first No. 1 overall draft pick by the Bulls, Elton Brand became the first Bulls player to be named Rookie of the Year since Jordan.  Brand became only the second player in Bulls history to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. 

Also, Brand was the first rookie to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.  Brand looked like a star in the making for the Bulls. 

However, he turned out to be a star in the making for Los Angeles Clippers. Jerry Krause was at the point in his career where he was more concerned about making money than producing winning teams.

7. Bob Love 1970-71

25.2 PPG 8.5 RPG 44.7% FG 82.9% FT

Bob Love was the first outstanding player for the Bulls.  In his and the Bulls' fifth season, Love became the first Bulls player to average 25 points per game.  He was sixth in the NBA in scoring and fifth in the league in minutes per game (43.0).  Also, Love had 9.9 win shares.  Love made the All-NBA Second Team. 

Love led the Bulls to their first winning season in franchise history, going 51-31 and making the Western Conference Semifinals.  Love was the playoff leader in points per game (26.7) and minutes per game (47.3). 

His 1970-71 season was the first truly spectacular season by a Chicago Bulls player.

6. Artis Gilmore 1977-78

22.9 PPG 13.1 RPG 2.2 BPG 55.9% FG

Gilmore was on the backside of his career when he joined the Bulls, but he still had some power while he was a Bulls frontman. 

Gilmore became the first Bulls player to average 20 points per game and 10 rebounds per game.  He was fairly dominant in the post, ranking sixth in the NBA in rebounds per game and blocks per game, both of which are also sixth in franchise history.  He was third in the league in true shooting percentage (60.4%).  His field goal percentage from 1977-78 is ninth in Bulls history.

Also, he earned his last piece of defensive hardwood, gaining a selection to the All-Defensive Second Team.  At that point in his career, he was still able to make an impact.

5. Artis Gilmore 1978-79

23.7 PPG 12.7 RPG 1.9 BPG 57.5% FG

Gilmore became the first great big man when he joined the Bulls.  In his second season, for the second time in Bulls history, he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. 

Gilmore was ninth in the NBA in points per game.  He was fourth in rebounds per game and field goal percentage.  His field goal percentage was eighth in Bulls history.  His rebounds per game mark was ninth in Bulls history.  Gilmore placed second in true shooting percentage (61.9%).

4. Bob Love 1971-72

25.8 PPG 6.6 RPG 44.2% FG 78.4% FT

Love topped his previous season with another superb scoring season.  He was sixth in the NBA in points per game.  His 1971-72 scoring average is the highest in Bulls history not produced by Jordan. 

Love's high scoring earned him a spot on the All-NBA Second Team, while he also made the All-NBA Defensive Second Team. 

Love led the Bulls to their second straight winning season—a tremendous 57-25 record—only to see his Bulls team be swept in the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers, who would go on to win the NBA Finals.

3. Scottie Pippen

21.4 PPG 8.1 RPG 5.2 APG 2.9 SPG 48.0% FG

Pippen had his second star season without playing in the shadow of Jordan—at least most of the season he played outside of the shadow of Jordan. 

Pippen was the guiding force to another Bulls playoff season.  In his first book, Sacred Hoops, Phil Jackson said that he believed that Bulls could have made the NBA Finals had Jordan not returned near the end of the season. 

Part of that was due to the team chemistry.  Part of that had to be to the credit of Pippen's great season performance.

Pippen had a great scoring season.  He had his second season averaging 20 points per game.  Defensively, Pippen led the league in steals per game.  The mark is second in Bulls history and the best by any player other than Jordan.  Pippen had 6.7 defensive win shares, second in the league. 

He made the All-Defensive Team.  He also made the All-NBA Second Team.  Pippen was named the NBA Player of the Month twice that season.

2. Scottie Pippen

22.0 PPG 8.7 RPG 5.6 APG 2.9 SPG 49.1% FG

Liberated from the shadow of Jordan, Pippen showed the basketball world how great he could be.  The Bulls needed players to step up after Jordan had retired, and Pippen stepped up as much as any player. 

Pippen had his best scoring season.  The 1993-94 campaign was his first of three seasons averaging 20 points per game.

Pippen had a great defensive season.  He was second in the NBA in steals per game.  The mark is the third best in Bulls history, pushing him to make the All-Defensive Team.

Pippen's outstanding season earned the attention of basketball writers.  He placed third in Most Valuable Player voting, behind David Robinson and winner Hakeem Olajuwon.

Also, Pippen was named the All-Star Game MVP in 1994.  He scored 29 points and added 11 rebounds and four steals.

In Sacred Hoops, Jackson said the team could have made the NBA Finals in 1994.  Of course, Jackson blamed their shortfall on the officiating in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.  Having the team deep in the playoffs without Jordan was the result of Pippen's excellent work.

1. Derrick Rose 2010-11

25.0 PPG 7.7 APG 4.1 RPG 1.0 SPG 44.5% FG 85.8% FT

Derrick Rose had a season to remember in 2010-11.  Last season, the Bulls saw their point guard bloom into a star.  Rose became the first Bulls player other than Jordan to be named MVP.  He was fourth in scoring and seventh in scoring average.  He was 10th in assists per game.  The mark was the fifth highest in team history. 

Rose was the leading force in the Bulls' run to the Eastern Conference Finals, their deepest push in the playoffs since the Bulls' 1998 championship.  He was fifth in the NBA with 13.1 win shares.

Hopefully for the Bulls, Rose will stay around to keep the Bulls among the premier teams in the NBA.

Honorable Mentions

This article would not be complete without mentioning a few other notable Bulls performances.

Ben Gordon 2006-07 21.4 PPG 3.6 APG 45.5% FG 86.4% FT

Jalen Rose 2001-02 23.8 PPG 5.3 APG 4.1 RPG 47.0% FG 83.9% FT

Chet Walker 1971-72 23.9 PPG 6.6 RPG 50.5% FG 84.7% FT