Hoops Habit
Fansided

Every single NBA team’s Mount Rushmore of stars

By Maxwell Ogden

Apr 2, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) look on in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) look on in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chicago Bulls Mount Rushmore, Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan – Chicago Bulls Mount Rushmore (Photo credit JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) /

The Mount Rushmore of the Chicago Bulls

  • Artis Gilmore
  • Michael Jordan
  • Scottie Pippen
  • Derrick Rose

It goes without saying that Michael Jordan is going to be on the Mount Rushmore of the Chicago Bulls. He won five regular-season MVP awards, six Finals MVP awards, and a Defensive Player of the Year award while leading the Bulls to six championships and two separate three-peats.

The often forgotten truth about Jordan’s period of greatness: Chicago never made an NBA Finals before he arrived and has failed to reach one since he retired.

Next on the list is Jordan’s right-hand man and one of the greatest small forwards of all-time: Scottie Pippen. Pippen is on the shortlist of the best defenders to ever play, as well as one of the revolutionary individuals who popularized the point forward role.

Pippen was not only a key component of each of Chicago’s six championship runs, but amassed significant personal accolades such as seven All-NBA selections.

The next player on the list is one who helped introduce the Bulls to the NBA: Artis Gilmore. After becoming a force of nature in the ABA, Gilmore would make four All-Star Game appearances in Chicago while leading the team to its first pre-Jordan playoff appearance in the Association.

Although he didn’t quite make the cut, Gilmore’s star teammate during that time deserves immense credit, as well: Jerry Sloan.

The final inclusion may be divisive, as Bob Love, Dennis Rodman, Sloan, and Chet Walker all come to mind. The selection is Derrick Rose, however, as he’s the only player other than Jordan to win the MVP award in a Bulls jersey.

Perhaps even more importantly: Rose led Chicago to its only NBA Conference Finals appearance without Jordan since 1975, as well as five separate postseason appearances during his “healthy” seasons.

Next: A Trio of Forgotten Greats