Bulls charge toward triumphant season backed with new team

Art+by+Anna+Gorman

Art by Anna Gorman

The Chicago Bulls had a very surprising first month of the NBA season. The Bulls finished November with a record of 10-7. The Bulls were looking like a team set to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference after questionable trades and signings left fans and analysts confounded. The new-look team has come together quickly and created a team that is well-balanced between offense and defense.

Second-year coach Fred Hoiberg brought a more experienced and focused mindset into this season.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself,” Hoiberg said. “This is a high-pressure job, and I understand that. And again, nobody looked at this thing harder in the off-season than I did and was harder on themselves than I was.”

Hoiberg had the challenging task of creating a cohesive team out of a roster that features nine new players. The most notable additions were guards Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. Wade, who was born in Chicago, spent the last 13 seasons with the Miami Heat. As a three-time NBA champion, Wade brings much-needed experience to a young Bulls roster. Naturally, Hoiberg was excited to add a player as dynamic as Wade.

“I’m really excited to get him on board,” Hoiberg said. “Obviously, he’s a guy with championship experience and gives us another playmaker on the floor. I’ve been watching a lot of film to see how to best utilize the talents of the players on our roster.”

Rondo brings championship pedigree as well. Rondo won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008. He has also played for the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings during his career. Rondo has garnered the praise of the Bulls’ best player, Jimmy Butler.

“Like I always say, when you put good basketball players out there on the floor, you just go,” Butler said. “Everything just falls into place, falls into line. You don’t have to worry about too much of anything. And with [Rondo], he’s an incredible leader. He just wants everybody to be successful. He’s going to put you in position to be just that.”

In the midst of all the additions, there were a pair of painful departures. Derrick Rose, former number one overall draft pick and MVP, was traded away from his hometown of Chicago. Rose was traded to the New York Knicks in late June. Joakim Noah returned to his hometown of New York when he signed a contract to join Rose with the Knicks. This opened the door for Butler to become the undeniable leader of the team.

With the newcomers beginning to jell and Butler retaining his status as an elite player, the Bulls appear to be headed in the right direction.