I had a dream last night I got tied up in some mob stuff and had to steal an FBI van. Then, while hiding out with a mob friend in a sketchy neighborhood, Jimmy Kimmel found us and called us in (like, to the police … not his show). What a jerk.
I went to prison, but prison had an indoor basketball court, sooooo it wasn’t all that bad.
(Michael: Okay, so we’ve apparently progressed to the next quarantine check point: sharing our dreams online. Good to know.)
Will there ever be another player like Dennis Rodman? The answer is HECK no. The 5x NBA Champion might as well be the most unique, crazy, aggressive, and chaotic hooper of all time. Last night, while watching the Chicago Classic game on NBC Sports Chicago, I was reminded just how special he was to watch. I mean, to this day I haven’t seen someone play even remotely similarly. He salivated at the sight of a rebound before devouring the basketball. He shoved players left and right while never backing down from a fight (which he normally started). Yet, at the same time, Rodman somehow played with grace. When he passed, it was swift. When he ran, it was smooth. When he jumped, he glided. When he needed to be acrobatic, he could be. Rodman played like a tornado that could instantly turn into a spring breeze. It was weird, but it was cool.
Rodman might not be the league’s all-time leading rebounder (in fact, he isn’t even in the top 20), but people don’t shy away from throwing him in the “best of all-time” category. In Game 1 of the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals, he had 21 rebounds against freaking Shaq … and he almost out-rebounded the entire Magic team. Also, remember, he’s tied for having the second-most rebounds in a single game (34 against the Pacers in 1992).
Anyway, all of this has me thinking, should the Bulls retire Rodman’s jersey?
The Pistons have retired his number, and while he played more season in Detroit, he won more championships in Chicago. Plus, and I’m not saying this should necessarily be a factor, he reached superstardom during his days in the Windy City. When people think about Dennis Rodman today, they think about the Chicago Bulls (well, after the whole North Korea thing). Over the years, the Bulls have been a bit stingy when it comes to hanging jerseys in the rafters, with only Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Bob Love, and Jerry Sloan proudly presented in the United Center. Those four names easily and obviously deserve their place in history, and if that’s their status-quo, it’s hard to imagine Rodman will ever get that phone call.
Anyway, I feel like Rodman is just one name that is up for a worth jersey-retirement debate, joining guys like Derrick Rose, Artis Gilmore, Norm Van Lier, and (maybe?) Toni Kukoc. The Bulls have a lot of names that could be in the mix, but they also have some high standards.
Speaking of Toni Kukoc, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey picked a Jordan-Pippen-Kukoc group as the best trio in NBA history. Agree?
NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson sent out his latest mailbag, so check it out. The Bulls Insider once again commented on the likelihood of a Jim Boylen return, and he said it all really depends on who the Bulls hire this offseason. As we’ve heard before, if a worthy candidate walks into the interview room and say he wants Boylen gone … that isn’t going to stop the organization from hiring him.
The Sun-Times continues their player breakdowns, and up next is Wendell Carter Jr. Reportedly eager to change positions (he’s traditionally played the four), the Bulls might have an odd situation on their hands. However, with the team still invested in Lauri Markkanen, Carter Jr. will likely have to swallow the playing-center pill for the next several seasons. Truthfully, I think a new coach would be able to find a way to make Carter Jr. happy in his role. He should be more involved in the offense, and a better mind at the helm of the team should be able to make that happen.
ARCHIE FOR THE WIN!
https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1245336659555737601?s=20
NEWSLETTER
