Chicago Bulls: Getting to know the newest shooting guard Zach LaVine

By Allana Tachauer | Jun 30, 2017

Jun 27, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls player Zach LaVine who was acquired in a trade answers question during a press conference at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

As the Chicago Bulls traded away Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2017 NBA Draft, they acquired shooting guard Zach LaVine.

The Chicago Bulls wasted no time in getting down to business this offseason.

After just sneaking into the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs as the eighth seed at 41-41, the Bulls were eliminated 4-2 by the Boston Celtics. A disappointment, sure, but hardly unexpected.

After all, the Alpha Three did not exactly take the league by storm. Never mind that head coach Fred Hoiberg still had not figured out a way to make Hoiball successful.

Then there was that trade that sent Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott over to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Really, it was shocking Chicago even made the postseason at all, which is hardly good enough for a franchise with such a winning legacy.

Fast forward to the 2017 NBA Draft, where in an effort to once again move towards success, the front office decided to trade Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yes, the 6’7″ forward who averaged 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals a game in 2016-17. The face of the organization. A top-20 guy.

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For Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall pick (who turned out to be Lauri Markkanen).

Now, it seems like the Bulls got the short end of the stick here, ultimately giving former head coach Tom Thibodeau the last laugh. But what is done is done. So it is time for fans to learn the basics about the newest men in red, starting with their point guard LaVine.

LaVine, a 6’5″ shooting guard out of UCLA, was drafted No. 13 overall in 2014 by the Timberwolves. Having spent just a year with Bruins, the Washington-native averaged a mere 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists a night in college. However, LaVine still made a name for himself as a solid outside shooter and out-of-this-world dunker, putting him on the league’s radar.

As a rookie, LaVine definitely proved his worth.

Averaging 10.1 points, 3.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds per contest, he was forced to step up for an injured Ricky Rubio early on. This resulted in the young buck making history by the likes of becoming only the second teenager to have at least 25 points and five assists off the bench in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, and later just the fourth to total a 20-point, 10-assist game against the San Antonio Spurs.

He also shined in the 2015 NBA Dunk Contest, taking home the trophy as the youngest champion since Kobe Bryant (who was 18 in 1997).

LaVine steadily kept developing too. Averaging 14.0 points, 3.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds a game in 2015-16 (shooting 38.9 percent from three), the guard set a franchise record for a player off the bench when he scored 35 points against the Thunder.

He also won the Slam Dunk Contest for the second year in-a-row, becoming just the fourth ever player to do so.

All in all, Minnesota certainly drafted an up-and-coming star.

Unfortunately, 2017-18 was not as good to the high-flier.

Although he finished the year by averaging 18.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest, he was only able to compete in 47 matchups before he tore his ACL. He successfully had surgery in February, and has been rehabbing ever since.

Still, he scored a career-high 40 points (on seven from downtown) against the Sacramento Kings. And shot 38.7 percent from beyond-the-arc on the season.

So what comes next for LaVine?

Well, apparently becoming the centerpiece of Chicago’s rebuild. Despite still coming back from injury.

"“I’m attacking this injury like I do everything in life, working my butt off for it every day,” LaVine told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “I feel like with my ability I’m able to come back early. But I really haven’t set a timetable for that. I’m very confident that I’ll come back better. This has given me time to work on my mental game, my strength and learn the game more. I have no fear at all coming back from this.”"

And he is excited to be here.

"“I know everything about Michael Jordan. It’s a great opportunity and humbling and satisfying to be here in these colors and in this city.”"

While undergoing knee surgery always makes for a slightly uncertain future, it is clear LaVine is ready to get back to the game, especially in his new uniform. And if his first three years in this league are any indication of what is to come, the Bulls may have just snagged a winner after all.

"“He’s got a high ceiling,” Hoiberg told CBS Chicago‘s Cody Westerlund. “Because of how athletic he is and the way he shoots the ball, he’s still got a lot of room to grow. It’s exciting when you have a guy who can get out and make highlight-level plays above the rim and also shoot the ball five feet behind the 3-point line, you’ve got a guy that you can do a lot of things with.”"

It also helps that he is just 22 years old.

Next: Chicago Bulls: 5 reasons they should keep Rajon Rondo

Welcome to the Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine.

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