History of Chicago Bulls in Timeline
The Chicago Bulls, founded in 1966, are a professional basketball team based in Chicago competing in the NBA. They achieved their greatest success in the 1990s, becoming a global phenomenon. The Bulls are celebrated for their dynasty, securing six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998, achieving two three-peats. Led by Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and coach Phil Jackson, the Bulls are the only NBA franchise to win multiple championships without ever losing an NBA Finals series. They play their home games at the United Center.
January 16, 1966: Team Founded
On January 16, 1966, the Chicago Bulls were founded as an American professional basketball team based in Chicago.
January 16, 1966: Granted NBA Franchise
On January 16, 1966, the Chicago Bulls were granted an NBA franchise, becoming the third NBA team in Chicago's history.
1966: Inaugural Season
In 1966, the Chicago Bulls had their inaugural season and were coached by Johnny "Red" Kerr.
1966: Team logo adopted
In 1966, the iconic logo, a red, charging bull's face, designed by Dean P. Wessel, was adopted.
1967: Attendance Decline
In the 1967-68 season, the Chicago Bulls experienced a decline in fan interest and attendance.
1969: Red uniforms tweaked to include city name
For the 1969–70 season, the red uniforms were tweaked to include the city name.
1969: Benny the Bull introduced
In 1969, Benny the Bull, the main mascot of the Chicago Bulls, was first introduced.
1969: Pat Williams Hired
In 1969, Pat Williams was hired by the Chicago Bulls as general manager to revitalize the franchise.
1970: Cavaliers join NBA
In 1970, the Cleveland Cavaliers joined the NBA as an expansion team and the Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry began.
1972: Franchise Record
In 1972, the Chicago Bulls set a franchise record of 57 wins.
1973: Drastic uniform changes
For the 1973–74 season, the Bulls drastically changed their look, removing the side stripes and drop shadows while moving the front numbers to the left chest.
1975: Conference Finals Appearance
In 1975, the Chicago Bulls made their first appearance in the conference finals, losing to the Golden State Warriors.
1975: Decline in Performance
In 1975, the Chicago Bulls' performance began to decline leading to the firing of Coach Motta.
1976: Acquisition of Artis Gilmore
In 1976, Artis Gilmore was acquired by the Chicago Bulls in the ABA dispersal draft.
1979: Coin Flip Loss
In 1979, the Chicago Bulls lost a coin flip for the first pick in the NBA draft, missing the chance to draft Magic Johnson.
1982: Rivalry Between Ewing and Jordan Started
In 1982, rivalry between Ewing and Jordan started with Jordan hitting the deciding jumper of the final.
1984: Draft Michael Jordan
In 1984, the Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan as the third pick in the NBA draft.
1985: Jordan's Injury and Playoff Performance
In 1985, Michael Jordan returned from a broken foot injury and recorded a playoff single-game record of 63 points against the Boston Celtics.
1985: Celtics' Home Record
In 1985, the Boston Celtics set a home record of 40-1, surpassing the Bulls' record.
1985: Updated uniform look
Starting with the 1985–86 season, the Bulls updated their uniform, with notable changes including centered uniform numbers and a vertically arched "Bulls" wordmark.
1985: Uniforms used until 1985
With a few tweaks in the lettering, these uniforms were used until 1985.
1986: Jordan Leads League in Scoring
In the 1986-87 season, Michael Jordan led the league in scoring with 37.1 points per game and was named to the All-NBA First Team.
1987: Charles Oakley Leads League
In 1987, Charles Oakley led the league in total rebounds.
1987: Draft Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant
In the 1987 draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, bolstering their roster.
1988: Trade for Bill Cartwright
In 1988, Charles Oakley was traded to the New York Knicks for Bill Cartwright.
1988: Jordan Wins MVP
In 1988, Michael Jordan was named NBA Most Valuable Player.
1988: Bulls and Pistons Meet in Playoffs
In 1988, the Jordan-led Bulls met the "Bad Boy" Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals, marking the beginning of an intense rivalry.
1988: Start of Pistons-Bulls Rivalry
The 1987-88 season would also mark the start of the Pistons-Bulls rivalry which was formed from 1988 to 1991.
1989: Phil Jackson Becomes Head Coach
In 1989, Doug Collins was replaced by Phil Jackson as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls.
1989: Playoff series between Bulls and Knicks
In 1989, playoff series between Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks happened.
1989: Black shoes tradition debuts
In 1989, the Bulls debuted the tradition of wearing black shoes (regardless of being home or away) during the playoffs. Then-Bulls backup center Brad Sellers suggested to wear black shoes as a way to show unity within the team.
1990: Ray Clay replaces Tommy Edwards
In 1990, Ray Clay replaced Tommy Edwards as the announcer for the Bulls. Clay continued many of the traditional aspects of the Bulls introductions, including the music, The Alan Parsons Project's "Sirius", for all six championship runs.
1990: Franchise Record
In the 1990-91 season, the Chicago Bulls recorded a then-franchise record 61 wins.
1991: Playoff series between Bulls and Knicks
In 1991, playoff series between Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks happened.
1991: Bulls Sweep Pistons in ECF
In 1991, the Chicago Bulls swept the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals.
1991: NBA Championship
In 1991, the Chicago Bulls won one of their six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998.
1991: Start of Pistons-Bulls Rivalry
The 1987-88 season would also mark the start of the Pistons-Bulls rivalry which was formed from 1988 to 1991.
1992: Playoff series between Bulls and Knicks
In 1992, playoff series between Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks happened.
1992: Franchise Record
In 1992, the Chicago Bulls set another franchise record for wins with 67.
1992: Team begins training at the Berto Center
In 1992, the team began training at the Berto Center, located in Deerfield, Illinois.
October 6, 1993: Michael Jordan Announces Retirement
On October 6, 1993, Michael Jordan announced his retirement from basketball.
1993: Playoff series between Bulls and Knicks
In 1993, playoff series between Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks happened.
1993: NBA Champions
In 1993, the Chicago Bulls won their third consecutive championship.
1993: Steve Kerr Acquired
The Bulls acquired sharpshooter Steve Kerr via free agency before the 1993-94 season.
1994: Pippen Wins All-Star MVP
In 1994, Scottie Pippen established himself as one of the top players in the league by winning the All-Star MVP.
1994: Playoff series between Bulls and Knicks
In 1994, playoff series between Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks happened.
1994: Free Agency
In 1994, the Chicago Bulls lost key players like Grant, Cartwright, and Williams to free agency, while also picking up Ron Harper and Jud Buechler.
1994: Draft Lottery Modification
In 2008, the Bulls became the team with the lowest chance of winning to ever win the lottery since it was modified for the 1994 NBA draft.
March 18, 1995: Michael Jordan Returns
On March 18, 1995, Michael Jordan announced his return to the Chicago Bulls.
1995: Da Bull introduced
In 1995, Da Bull, described as the high-flying cousin of Benny, was introduced.
1995: Record Start
In 1995, the Bulls achieved the all-time best start by a team with a 41-3 record.
1995: Single-Season Improvement
In 1995, the Chicago Bulls had one of the best single-season improvements in league history, moving from a 47-35 record to 72-10.
1995: Michael Jordan fined for wearing white shoes
In the 1995 playoffs against the Magic, Michael Jordan debuted his Air Jordan XI shoe, and he wore the white colorway during the Bulls' playoff games in Orlando. He was fined by the Bulls for not complying with their colorway policy.
1995: Black uniform added to set
In the 1995–96 season, the Bulls added a black uniform to their set, featuring red pinstripes and lacking the classic diamond on the shorts.
1996: Black socks added to playoff attire
For the 1996 playoffs, the Bulls became the first team to wear black socks with the black shoes, similar to the University of Michigan and the Fab Five which started the trend in college earlier in the decade.
1996: Playoff series between Bulls and Knicks
In 1996, playoff series between Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks happened.
1996: Fifth NBA Championship
In 1996, the Bulls won their fifth NBA championship, defeating the Utah Jazz.
1997: Modified black uniforms worn
From the 1997–98 season, the Bulls wore slightly modified black uniforms without pinstripes.
1997: Jordan Named League MVP
In 1997, Michael Jordan was named the league MVP for the fifth and final time.
1998: NBA Championship
In 1998, the Chicago Bulls won one of their six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998.
1998: First Playoff Appearance Since 1998
In 2004 the team made their first playoff appearance since 1998.
1998: First Series Victory Since 1998
In 2006 the Bulls swept the defending champion Miami Heat, marking their first series victory since 1998.
1998: Eastern Conference Finals Appearance
In 2011, the Chicago Bulls reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1998.
1998: Decline after Championship Era
Since 1998, the Chicago Bulls have struggled to regain their success from the 1990s.
January 13, 1999: Michael Jordan's Second Retirement
On January 13, 1999, Michael Jordan retired for the second time, marking a significant moment in the Bulls' history.
1999: Draft Lottery Win
In 1999, the Bulls won the draft lottery, allowing them to draft Elton Brand.
1999: City name returns to black uniform
In the 1999–2000 season, the city name returned to the front of the black uniform.
2000: Continued Struggles
In 2000, despite drafting Elton Brand, the Bulls struggled, finishing with a 17-65 record.
2000: City name returns to black uniform
In the 1999–2000 season, the city name returned to the front of the black uniform.
2002: Addition of Jay Williams
In 2002, the Bulls added Jay Williams to their young, talented core, hoping for improvement.
2003: Krause's Retirement
In 2003, Jerry Krause retired, and John Paxson became the GM for the Bulls.
2003: Cavaliers Pick LeBron James
In 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers picked LeBron James, reigniting the Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry.
2003: Uniforms revived as throwback
This uniform set was later revived as a throwback uniform during the 2003–04 season.
2004: Da Bull retires after incident
In 2004, after the man who portrayed Da Bull was arrested for possession and selling marijuana from his car, Da Bull was retired.
2004: Bulls continue black shoe tradition
In 2004, upon making their first playoff appearance after a six-year hiatus, the Bulls continued the tradition and wore black shoes.
2005: Curry's Trade
In 2005 offseason, Eddy Curry was traded to the New York Knicks due to heart condition concerns.
2005: Modified black uniforms worn
Until the 2005–06 season, the Bulls wore slightly modified black uniforms without pinstripes.
2006: Tommy Edwards returns as announcer
In 2006, Tommy Edwards returned as the announcer for the Bulls, even though internal disputes eventually led to the dismissal of Clay.
2006: Acquisition of Tyrus Thomas and Ben Wallace
In the 2006 NBA Draft, the Bulls traded for Tyrus Thomas and signed Ben Wallace to a four-year deal.
2006: Change in black alternate uniform
The 2006–07 season saw another change in the Bulls' black alternate uniform, now resembling the red and white uniform with the addition of a red diamond in the shorts.
2007: Wallace Meets Former Team
In 2007, former Detroit cornerstone Ben Wallace met his former team in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, reigniting the Bulls-Pistons rivalry.
2007: Offseason Trade Speculation
In the 2007 offseason, there was speculation of major trades involving players like Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, and Kobe Bryant for the Bulls.
June 26, 2008: Drafting Derrick Rose
On June 26, 2008, the Bulls drafted Chicago native Derrick Rose from the University of Memphis as the number 1 draft pick.
2008: Fluctuating On-Court Results
Between 2004 and 2008, the Chicago Bulls underwent notable roster transformations and fluctuating on-court results.
2008: Bulls Pick Derrick Rose
In 2008, the Chicago Bulls picked Derrick Rose, turning Chicago from a lottery team to a future contender and heating up the Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry.
February 2009: Roster Strengthening Trades
In February 2009, the Bulls made multiple trades to strengthen the roster, including deals with the Sacramento Kings and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
2009: Bulls break tradition, wear white shoes
During the 2009 playoffs, the Bulls broke the tradition when all of their players wore white shoes and socks in Game 3 of the first round against the Boston Celtics.
2009: Draft Pick Trade
In 2008, the Bulls traded Sonny Weems to the Denver Nuggets for Denver's 2009 regular second-round draft pick.
2009: NBA Draft Selections
In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Bulls selected James Johnson and Taj Gibson.
2009: Spanish language coverage begins
Starting in 2009–10, Univision Radio's WRTO (1200) has carried Spanish language game coverage.
May 2010: Vinny Del Negro Fired
In May 2010, the Bulls fired head coach Vinny Del Negro.
June 2010: Tom Thibodeau Hired
In early June 2010, Tom Thibodeau accepted the Bulls' head coaching position and was officially introduced on June 23.
2010: Resurgence Led by Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah
In 2010, the Chicago Bulls showed promise, led by Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.
2011: Rose Wins MVP
In 2011, Derrick Rose earned the NBA MVP Award, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to win it.
2011: Bulls acquired Nikola Mirotic
In 2011, the Bulls acquired Nikola Mirotić via a draft-day trade, a EuroLeague talent.
2011: Bulls and Heat Meet in ECF
In 2011, the Bulls and Heat met in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the Heat winning in 5 games.
2011: Successful Seasons
In 2011, the Chicago Bulls had one of back-to-back seasons above .732.
2011: Jimmy Butler Drafted
In the 2011 NBA Draft, the Bulls selected Jimmy Butler with the 30th overall pick.
June 13, 2012: New practice facility announced
On June 13, 2012, the team announced that it would move its practice facility to a downtown location closer to the United Center.
2012: Bulls Finish Season 45-37
In 2012, despite Derrick Rose missing the entire season, the Chicago Bulls finished with a 45-37 record and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
2012: Black uniform revived as throwback
This set was revived as throwback uniforms in the 2012–13 seasons.
March 27, 2013: Bulls Snap Heat's Streak
On March 27, 2013, the Chicago Bulls snapped the Miami Heat's 27-game winning streak.
2013: Rose Sustains Another Injury
In 2013, Derrick Rose tore his medial meniscus just 10 games into the season, sidelining him once again.
2013: Detroit Red Wings Move to Atlantic Division
In 2013, Detroit Red Wings moved to the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.
September 12, 2014: Advocate Center officially opened
On September 12, 2014, the Bulls officially opened their new training facility, the Advocate Center.
2014: Roster Changes and Challenges
Between the 2011-2014 seasons, the Chicago Bulls underwent significant roster changes and faced challenges, navigating injuries to star players.
2014: Sleeves and modernized diamond treatment added
For the 2014–15 season, the uniforms were tweaked a bit to include sleeves and a modernized diamond treatment in black with red and white borders.
2014: Rose Returns and Gasol Joins Bulls
In 2014, Derrick Rose returned to the Chicago Bulls, and Pau Gasol joined the team.
2014: Bulls acquired Michael Carter-Williams
In 2014, the Bulls acquired 2014 Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.
May 28, 2015: Tom Thibodeau Fired
On May 28, 2015, the Chicago Bulls fired head coach Tom Thibodeau.
October 2015: Games broadcast on WLS
Beginning in October 2015, the Bulls' games were carried on Cumulus Media's WLS (890).
2015: Bulls Miss Playoffs
In 2015, the Chicago Bulls finished with a 42–40 record but were eliminated from playoff contention.
2015: Uniforms revived as throwback
This uniform set was later revived as a throwback uniform during the 2015–16 season.
June 22, 2016: Bulls Trade Derrick Rose to Knicks
On June 22, 2016, the Chicago Bulls traded Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks.
2016: Circus contract lapses
In 2016, Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz, who co-owns the United Center with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, let the contract lapse after the circus' run.
June 2017: Bulls Trade Jimmy Butler
In June 2017, the Chicago Bulls traded Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
October 17, 2017: Portis and Mirotić Fight at Practice
On October 17, 2017, Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotić were involved in a fight during practice.
2017: Nike becomes uniform provider
In 2017, Nike became the NBA's uniform provider and the Bulls' red "Icon" uniforms became their home uniforms, and the white "Association" uniforms became their away uniforms.
2017: "City" uniforms introduced
In 2017, Nike introduced the Bulls' "City" uniforms, which pay homage to Chicago’s flag, architecture, and cultural symbols.
2017: Bulls Traded Draft Pick
In 2017, the Bulls traded 2017 second-round pick to the New York Knicks.
2017: Circus discontinued
In 2017, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was discontinued.
2017: Deal nullified
In the middle of the 2017-18 season the contract with Cumulus Media was nullified.
January 2018: Games broadcast on WLS
In January 2018, the Bulls' games were carried on Cumulus Media's WLS (890).
February 3, 2018: Games broadcast on WSCR
As of February 3, 2018, the Bulls' games are broadcast on Entercom's WSCR (670).
February 2018: Disney on Ice run condensed
Effective February 2018, the formerly two-week local run of Feld's Disney on Ice was condensed to a week-long period.
February 2018: Mirotić Traded to Pelicans
In February 2018, Nikola Mirotić was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans following an earlier altercation with Bobby Portis.
2018: Exclusive deal with NBC Sports Chicago
In 2018, the Bulls agreed to an exclusive multi-year deal with NBC Sports Chicago, ending the team's broadcasts on WGN-TV.
2018: Bulls Draft and Re-Sign Players
In 2018, the Chicago Bulls drafted Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison, and re-signed Zach LaVine.
January 2, 2019: Exclusive deal with NBC Sports Chicago
On January 2, 2019, the Bulls agreed to an exclusive multi-year deal with NBC Sports Chicago, ending the team's broadcasts on WGN-TV.
February 2019: Bulls Trade Portis and Parker
In February 2019, Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker were traded by the Chicago Bulls for Otto Porter.
2019: Bulls Draft Coby White
In 2019, the Chicago Bulls drafted Coby White and signed veterans Tomáš Satoranský and Thaddeus Young.
2019: Pinstripes return to "Statement" uniform
The 2019–20 season marked the return of pinstripes to the Bulls' "Statement" uniform, albeit in dark gray, with other tweaks as well.
2020: Donovan becomes head coach
In 2020, Billy Donovan became head coach of the Chicago Bulls.
2020: Tim Sinclair replaces Tommy Edwards
In 2020, Tim Sinclair replaced Tommy Edwards as the announcer for the Bulls.
2020: Bulls continue to wear red "Icon" uniforms
The Bulls would continue to wear red "Icon" uniforms in home games until the 2020–21 season.
March 2021: Bulls Trade for Vučević and Aminu
In March 2021, the Chicago Bulls traded for Nikola Vučević and Al-Farouq Aminu.
December 2021: DeRozan Hits Back-to-Back Buzzer-Beaters
In late December 2021, DeMar DeRozan hit back-to-back buzzer-beaters against the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards.
2021: Bulls Acquire Ball, Caruso, and DeRozan
In 2021, the Chicago Bulls acquired Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and DeMar DeRozan.
2021: Bulls return to wearing the white "Association" uniforms
In the 2021–22 season, the Bulls returned to wearing the white "Association" uniforms in home games.
2022: Bulls Re-Sign LaVine and Draft Terry
In 2022, the Chicago Bulls re-signed Zach LaVine to a five-year, $215.2 million contract and drafted Dalen Terry.
2023: Heat Defeat Bulls in Play-In
In 2023, the Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference play-in game.
2023: Bulls Select Julian Philips
In the 2023 offseason, the Chicago Bulls traded for the 35th pick in the draft and selected Julian Philips, while also re-signing Vucevic and Coby White.
2023: Bulls left NBC Sports Chicago
The Bulls left NBC Sports Chicago at the end of the 2023–2024 season.
January 12, 2024: Ring of Honor Introduced
On January 12, 2024, the Bulls introduced the Ring of Honor, which honors former players and other personnel.
2024: Chicago Sports Network televises games
As of the 2024–2025 season, the Bulls' television broadcasts are televised by Chicago Sports Network, which broadcasts all of the games that are not televised nationally.
2024: Bulls move to Chicago Sports Network
The Bulls moved to the new Chicago Sports Network in 2024.
February 2, 2025: Team traded Zach LaVine
On February 2, 2025, the team traded Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings for Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and their own 2025 first round pick from San Antonio Spurs.
February 3, 2025: Roster Update
February 3, 2025, a roster update was issued.
2025: Chicago Sports Network televises games
As of the 2024–2025 season, the Bulls' television broadcasts are televised by Chicago Sports Network, which broadcasts all of the games that are not televised nationally.
