The COMPLETE Story of the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor Class of 2025

The COMPLETE Story of the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor Class of 2025

What does it mean to build a legacy? It means building something
that lasts beyond any one moment. Something that echoes long
after the final buzzer sounds. Something far more meaningful than any one victory. Legacy is the impact you leave on others, teammates, fans, and the city where it all played out. It takes selflessness, hard work, and of course, skill to be great. To be remembered. To become a legend. The Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor celebrates those icons who did just that. The changemakers, champions and stars who forever live in franchise lore. Today, the Bulls
recognize the Class of 2025. Six legends who represent the
best of the Bulls on and off the court. Those who demonstrate
what it means to be a Chicago Bull. You remember the names, the ones etched in Bulls history. Turn back the clock to the 1970s. When Norman was Stormin’. The heartbeat of the Bulls in those early Fierce, fearless and unrelenting. 48 minutes of intensity. You talk about gritty, hard-nosed. He was that type of player that
put his hard hat on and he went to work. He had that pride about
him to stop his opponent. Norm Van Lier’s defense set the tone. His passion set the standard. He would dog you. He would fight you. He was concerned about one thing only and that’s winning. Then there’s the first three-peat, The moment that put
the Bulls on another level. There’s the man with
the goggles from Georgia, whose tenacity,
rebounding, and physicality were secret ingredients in
the Bulls winning formula. Horace was the only one who played 94 feet His strengths complemented
Michael and Scottie. He’s a double, double machine. He just played with heart and emotion. Horace is the spirit of the team. The steady hand, the clutch shooter, the lifelong Bull
whose loyalty to the franchise spans more than 40 years. When you play with Michael Jordan, you better have tough skin, more importantly you better have his trust And John Paxson had both of those things. He had a determination about him. He was an accurate shooter. He carried himself with a certain sense
of “I’m going to challenge you”. He was highly conditioned.
He had toughness. He was trusted when
the game was on the line. The soft spoken 7-footer
with the funky jump shot, who taught the team
what it took to become champions. The Detroit Bad Boys were our nemesis. Bill fit the bill. He was the enforcer, and he took care of
the back of the lane. Bill was that nail that
we needed to get over the hump. We called him “Teach”
because he always teaches. And the unsung hero during
the first three-peat, Johnny Bach. His defensive element
had set a tone for the team. He had that attitude of,
you know, just don’t pressure the ball. Take the ball. A tactical mastermind whose “Doberman defense”
terrorized opponents. He had energy, enthusiasm. He loved basketball. And of course, the voice that generations of Bulls fans grew up watching the game with. Neil: Jordan a drive. Neil: Hangs. Fires. Scores! Neil: He scores! He’s in it, too. When you’re a local broadcaster,
you are the voice of that team. Neil painted a picture. Just incredible, incredible picture of a g This is a guy carried
himself with class and dignity. When you’re a people person
like that, people respect that and people appreciate that. Neil: For the steal! Neil: Scottie saves it to Toni! Neil: The Bulls win! For the second time in Bulls history, we open the doors to the
Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor. to enshrine those legends
where they belong in Bulls history forever. A place to honor those who shaped the past and inspire the future. This is the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor. This is where legends live. Horace Grant I’m gonna tell you about Horace Horace Grant is a Hall of Famer Horace on another team would have been a perennial All-Star. You’d say, who’s the third best player on Horace Grant is the third best player on t The night that we drafted Horace, we drafted Scottie Pippen. We started looking at tape. And Jerry Krause has a great eye for talen And he had Scottie
Pippen long before everybody else. After we drafted Horace that night
and Scottie, there was a huge celebration in the draft room. Like, this is the start of something
really special. I was sitting in the office
and Horace came walking in. We looked at his body and said, can
we see him filling out, getting stronger? Because the game was different back then? The game was so much played in the paint and you need to be able
to establish yourself. You know, be able to hold your space in th Horace came in the league probably at 215, wiry, very athletic, poor of sight. Eventually end up
having to wear heavy duty eye gear. I got to see he and Scottie
come into the league together. I got to see both of them grow. It was fun to watch Horace grow because he grew into a very reliable,
trustworthy teammate. We tried to take a look
at how he would fit and we thought, okay, we have Michael and we have Pax,
and now we get Scottie and we get Horace. We started getting the pieces
of a championship level team. There’s a lot of great positives, playing with great players,
winning championships, succeeding. But the negative of playing with somebody
like Michael Jordan is that you get overlooked. The spotlight shines so brightly on that one person,
the one who, to me, got overlooked. The most among the Bulls
championships was Horace Grant. Definitely he was overshadowed,
but not by people that watch the game. The fans that were there and the coaches. He wasn’t overshadowed. Tremendous athlete,
incredibly conditioned. And the stronger Horace got,
the more confident he got and the more confident we got in him. He’s a power forward. He’s
a double double machine. He could defend
just about any position on the floor. One through five. Guys could actually guard their man
one on one. No switching, Horace was like the spearhea The reason that team won is
that was the greatest defensive team in the history of the NBA. We had that hunger to go out and win. My first year here, the year Michael retir We won 55 games. What happened was Scottie and Horace
really carried the team. That year he averaged 15 points a game and the All-Star team. He’s instrumental
in Orlando beating us in the series. When Michael came back. You go back
and see the way the Bulls played. Horace
Grant was the only one who played 94ft. Yeah, there’s no question
we were a big three. But then the next year when Horace left,
you know, things started to slip. And that was because we were missing a key
ingredient to our team. That was Horace You know, Michael’s
the heart, Scotty’s the backbone. And I would say, you
know, Horace is the spirit of the team. I go back to this all the time. The strengths of the individuals
have to complement each other. Horse’s strengths
complemented Michael and Scottie. When you had Scottie and Michael, basically you erased the two men
and you erased the three guy. So you knew you were going to basically
win those two matchups. You need to win three matchups
with your starting group because a horse, Michael and Scottie,
could play a certain defensive style. He could run like a gazelle. He could change ends of the floor, trap, cover back and protect the basket
when we needed it. His activity was great,
he could block shots. He played above the rim. He developed at 15ft jumpshot. That was accurate and he was the front of a zone press
that we played after the free throw situations. Everyone knows he has one of the
greatest assists in Chicago Bulls history. He had the ball and he’s the one
that flipped it out to Paxson for the three point shot. He just played with heart and emotion. Didn’t care about stats. Didn’t care about how many points
he scored. You know he was is whatever
the coach needed, whatever Phil needed, wherever the team made it,
he was willing to do. Phil was tough on him
because he had to show the other players that, you know, I’m not going to let people get away with
stuff on the hold players accountable. And he was tough on Horace,
but it made Horace stronger. He never took shortcuts in anything. He’s the first one in the weight room,
the last one to leave. And he was a great role model because
he developed into a really good player. That allowed us to trade Charles Oakley
to the Knicks for Bill Cartwright And I think history has proven that
that was a that was a great trade Horace, You know, his seven years with
the Bulls was was really special. The word I would use with Horace
would be joyful. He had a lot of joy about him
when he played. yes, he wasn’t the first option. Wasn’t the second option. But he really loved the game
and wanted the team to win. So even though I was a new guy,
he was there and he was helping me, giving me advice to help the team win. And to me, that’s a true sign of a leader. And you put Horace on another team,
and he’s going to be that guy. He’s a guy that his heart’s on his sleeve. He’s got the biggest heart.
He’ll do anything. He made tremendous sacrifices
for these championship runs. I spent some time with Horace. He was doing work for the NBA,
and I just said, this is crazy. How can we not have Horace Part of our organization? And so I said, of course
we really want to bring you back. He was really excited when I told him
that he was being inducted there. Our ring of honor.
He said he was speechless. And I said, oh, that tells me everything
about who you are. When I talk about Horace, he’s a guy
who would do anything for his teammates. You know, he would give an arm
for a teammate if you needed. And those are the kind of guys
that you consider family. And to watch you grow, not only the player
you are, but the man you are. I know it wasn’t easy, but you weathered
the storm and now you are here. The Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor is very we My friend, my brother, my heart. Love you. Congratulations. A job well done. Johnny Bach Wow. His name just touches my heart. Well, Johnny Bach was such a integral part
of our coaching staff. He had the courage about him. He had a mental capacity
for the history of the game. He had energy, enthusiasm. He loved basketball. I actually met him in 1972. He was one of the assistant coaches
on the US Olympic team. And then when I got the Bulls job,
I needed some mentors to help me learn how to coach, how to do everything
necessary to build a team. Phil obviously gets all the credit
for being one of the greatest coaches of all time. But then we had two other coaches Tex Wint Bach had a history
long history in college in the NBA. The funny story is people that didn’t know
the assistant coaches on the team thought that Johnny was Tex,
and Tex was Johnny, because Johnny wore a cowboy boots
and he wore a bolo tie. Phil wasn’t the only voice all the time,
you know, Tex had the offense. Johnny had the defense. Bull’s defense. Back in those days when Horace and Michael
and Scottie were, you know, pressing and they were aggressive. I think his defensive element
did set a tone for the team. Johnny Bach. Yes, sir. The architect of the Doberman defense
here in Chicago, he had that attitude of,
you know, just don’t pressure the ball. Take the ball. Turn it around and score. He was tough minded
and he wanted you to take defensively the challenge against your opponent. He made it sometimes painfully aware
that we had to do our jobs. And it wasn’t going to be easy. He was very encouraging of Horace Grant,
who he spotted in the scouting video,
and Johnny took him under his wing. That was a big part. And Johnny Bach’s defense is having some forwards,
like Horace Grant, to be able to trap and then be able to get back to your man
and not miss a beat. People don’t understand of
what coaching really is all about, that Johnny could reach Horace,
maybe on a level that I. Couldn’t one day prior to practice. Johnny said. Let me let me give you a little hint. Let me call him Horace
and see what Horace has to say. So he calls in Horace Well, Coach Jackson here needs a guy
that he can come in the locker room at halftime or timeout and say,
you guys better get going, Horace. Get yourself going.
Does that agree with you, Horace? Yes, sir. I agree to that. He had a whole different role
in the way he connected with the players,
as opposed to be the head coach. He didn’t mess around in terms of words. He’d come at you directly. We might be running some lines
and a guy might miss a line. Johnny goes, misalign miss a line,
let’s do it again or whatever. And a player would look at him. So you know, coach,
when he said, don’t get mad at me. You’re the one that missed the line,
not me. He didn’t give you many breaks. The player was over there, sitting there. And maybe you complain
about being a little fatigued or some. Johnny wasn’t here. He was hard on guys. He held everybody
accountable on the floor. But it was always in a caring ways. Johnny,
is a Navy guy, grew up in the military. Military. So, important to him. He wasn’t afraid to talk about it. He referenced it often. We would start the year. He would play the opening scene from A Few Good Men, and he would say,
I want you to watch precision. We’re not going to get beat
because we’re sloppy or undisciplined. He took that mindset. Being assassins, being killers,
you know, that’s who we were. He was a big part of turning
that mentality around. For me, it was it was really neat
to have a coach like that. Concepts that he brought in helped me
as a player and help me adjust to Chicago. Johnny was able to like, integrate it. Like, what are you willing to sacrifice? What are you willing to give up
for your teammates? And that was a big part of who he was. Assisted For 11 seasons with the Bulls,
he was a defensive specialist, 50 years in coaching
Johnny Bach. He’s a legendary coach. It’s
not just the players. You have to recognize
everybody who’s involved. And defense was was our calling card. He was just such a good human being. I know he would be really proud
to be part of this Ring of Honor class. Down one Michael against Russell 12 seconds. 11. 10. Jordan. Fires! Yeah! He scores! The Bulls lead! What makes him the best in broadcast busin The voice. Three seconds. He lays it up The Bulls win! Scottie! Saves it to Toni! You knew the voice
before you knew the name. He scores! The Bulls lead 87 – 86. A sound that filled our homes,
our radios, our cars, our memories. Russell, looking to Stockton Stockton, screen and roll. You didn’t
have to see the game to feel it. You only had to listen. To Michael – Three two. Michael firing. Because when the Bulls tipped off,
the Bulls win the tip and go to work there
he was Neil funk. He painted a picture. Just an incredible
incredible picture of a game. Nobody knew the game more.
Nobody said it better. Bulls and the SuperSonics coming your way
after this on the Bulls radio network. He moderated it. He paced it. He was a person
that liked to do what he was doing. It was a joy to him. Miller back to K.J. running
right. Darts inside, blocked by Horace. The rhythm, the timing, BJ for three – Kaboom! The tone, the precision Ahead to Michael, three seconds. The soundtrack of greatness. Bulls win, he looks at the crowd at the bu
this crowd is stunned. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you. Neil wasn’t just a voice,
he was the voice. You’re a local broadcaster. You are the voice of that team. So when people watch, you’re telling them
what’s going on. They need to win to force a game seven. You’re telling them the stories. Who these guys are. Your voice is what these people are
hearing. Michael in traffic to Kerr. The storyteller of an era for the greatest moments
etched into Bulls history. Bulls win, they do it the drive for five. It was Neil Funk behind the mic. The history of this franchise
from championship number two through six. It was all Neil. I mean, that’s when Neil’s
iconic voice really came to life. For nearly three decades with the Bulls,
he turned plays into memories and memories into history. There were the championship game
winners, Paxson for three, Yeah! MJ’s return. Michael and Scottie
the fourth time they’ve done it. And the Rise of a hometown hero. Rose crosses over to Fade away… As eloquent
as Derek was why don’t we let him intervie You know we brought Neil back. He was in ice in Florida,
so it was great having him back. Thousands of games called alongside
numerous Bulls icons. But yet he never sought any attention. The consummate professional who for many of us was the blueprint
for how to do this job. You don’t realize
you’re away from your family a lot. You’re on the road. It was just nice to have a presence
like Neil. Oh fuck baby, the dynamic duo baby. This is a guy who carried himself
with class and dignity. When you’re a people person
like that, people respect that and people appreciate that. Give me the hot sauce, Neil Funk! He allowed me to be
in those special moments in Bulls history. He allowed me the freedom to be me. And I owe him a lot to my success. The great thing about that
that duo is Stacy truly respects Neil. When you broadcast much like when you’re a player, the people
you work with become your family. He’s very caring
and he really does invest his time and life into his friends and his people. Neil has always had great humility. He doesn’t need to be
the center of attention. He’s a great friend and I’m really proud t
that he came here when he did, and he had the career that he did
and that we’re recognizing him. He’s a good man. Rose. Bobbing and weaving, scooping and scoring! He’s a Hall of Fame announcer, for sure. Some voices do not end with
the buzzer, they echo, they live on. He wasn’t just the voice of the Bulls. He was the voice of Chicago for calls that defined eras. Jordan, top of the key. Kaboom! For the kabooms
that shook the city. White again. Kaboom! because some voices never fade. Well he was dogged He had a determination about him And you knew he was an accurate shooter It has come down to this possession They want Michael
to get a full head of steam Well, Pippen got the snap Out to Horace Here’s Paxson Paxson for three Had a couple of teams interested in me, it was Phoenix, Atlanta
and the Bulls And a guy that I didn’t know
by the name of Jerry Krause kept calling me
and I was the type of guy that was I was always looking for the most security
I could get because I just,
I wanted to survive in the league. And so when the Bulls offered me
a three year deal and they had to buy my rights from San Antonio for $50,000
I signed with Chicago And I’ve thought often,
especially as I’ve gotten older, about what that meant to my career,
I couldn’t have foretold anything that was going to
happen for myself that day That guy, man, he had fire People always ask me When you play with Michael Jordan,
what do you better have? I said,
first of all, you better have tough skin More importantly, you better have his trus Paxson had both of those things His work every day
showed me who he was John
Paxson had a motor He was highly conditioned He had toughness
and he could shoot the *** out of the ball John became Michael’s
probably favorite teammate to play with I would say. He was Michael’s rock They gave us time to grow together,
and we had the two young guys inHorace and Scottie that were growing
into the players they would become The trade for Bill Cartwright
gave us, you know, kind of an identity
and some toughness too There was a trust that was born over
all those those years from getting getting beat up by Detroit This is a war down
there, Dumars and Paxson Back to John. Paxson Thomas squeezing through This dude’s an animal He’s a beast He never back down from a challenge One of the toughest guys
I’ve ever played. Hands down He’d take charges.
He’d get elbowed in the face There’s times where Isiah,
you know, elbows him in the face And John would just eat them like eat them And you know toughness is a skill It’s not an intangible Pax had that in spades Michael is always the guy that you would
think to take the big shots You know it’s Michael Jordan time You know sometimes it’s not Michael
Jordan time The Bulls are looking for their first ever
NBA championship Games 5 in 1991
clinching the championship Probably the only time I saw Michael
Jordan nervous at the end of that game five, when the Bulls are on the verge
of clinching a championship And famously, Phil Jackson pulls them
aside and says, who’s open, Michael? They’re double teaming you every time you put the ball on the floor,
Michael who’s open? Who’s open, who’s open? He said “John Paxson is open.” John Paxson is open. So get him the ball. Yes, John Paxson again He made all those jump shots in a row and
carried the fourth quarter for the Bulls You watch those highlights
I mean he was shooting the ball outside He was driving It was you know, it was it was a special m And the Chicago Bulls have won
their first ever NBA championship When the pressure is on and the world is w
who do the players trust? Pax was one of those guys
that you could trust That trust it doesn’t come easy You have to you have to earn that I’m just glad I was able to step up And, I got the shots and I just I’m happy for the guys in this room,
in the coaching staff We put in a lot of hard work to get here Basketball’s a team game It always has been. It always will be 13 seconds
remaining in the fourth, the Suns by two Chicago in possession It kind of was just symbolic
of what we had become as a team that,
all five of touch the ball They want Michael to get a full head of st
to keep him in the middle of the floor Here’s Paxson for three The Bulls take a one point lead and Phoenix calls for time with three seco One of the greatest plays
in Chicago Bulls history. There was no doubt when he shot the ball
that it was going in. He doesn’t make that shot
they go to game seven in Phoenix And now not only anything can happen,
because you’re on the road in Phoenix with that team having momentum
coming back down three one. Guys made the right play
given how the defense played. You know when Barkley delivered Scotty,
he made a decision when Horace caught it
and there was some pressure around him. He made a decision. That’s that’s what good teams do To have that grit and that toughness And that heart to be able to take that sho
and nail it Everybody know how Michael Jordan
is like to trust somebody with the last sh He was a player that is always going
to keep himself ready for the moment, no matter what And that’s when the work comes, that’s
when the unseen hours come into play When he had that ball,
I had a lot of confidence in the guy We’ve been together for so long He’s always knocked in big shots for us
when we needed it This goes in to
his repertoire is another shot That means a lot to us You’re always ready I mean, in the moment, you’re not thinking
about the what could happens You’re just reacting to
what is in front of you So it’s it’s so long ago,
I don’t remember All I know is every time I see it
now, shot still goes here But that’s all it matters Way to go Pax This is a dream What can I say? Maybe we were the ones destined to win
after all It was a great feeling
I can’t tell you what I feel Clutch Clutch I mean, this guy’s hit some of the biggest
shots in Chicago Bulls history You know,
I think his devotion to the game Packs
knew what it took to win a championship And he was trusted
when the game was on the line And that, to me, is who John Paxson is John Paxson represents the Bulls
and the community and the franchise
as well as anybody ever has There is no one who cares more
about the Chicago Bulls than John He bleeds Chicago Bulls Red John was a guy
you could trust him and understand He was going
do the right thing out there on the floor Is such a high character human being He’s passionate He cares He took his his shot on me Believe that I could be a leader
in the locker room as as a young man There’s nothing he hates more than losing
nothing I can’t thank him enough for the opportuni
that he gave me as a 19 year old kid He’s been there,
he knows what success looks like He knows what it takes to win
in this league and for him to mentor me You’ll never hear me
say a bad word about JP JP is my man I’m a ride or die with John Paxson I think you can say
this is my Hall of Fame, and I’m just I know I’m lucky, incredibly humbled and honored to never thought,
when I came here in October of 85 that, I’d be sitting here
today, 40 years later, still caring as much as I do about
the organization and the success of it Chicago
Bulls best basketball you could find. And I’ll tell you what. I’m going
to bring you the best of the best. So let’s go to Norm’s tapes And also at guard Number 2. From St.Francis His third year, Norm Van Lier Norm was really one of the most remarkable
figures in Chicago basketball. You talk about Norm Van Lier, you talk about gritty. Hard nosed. They don’t make him like that
anymore, man. The most overlooked team in Bulls
history is the early 70s Bulls. And great part. The point of the spear was Norm Van Lier Memories of the Chicago Bulls
is Norm Van Lier’s teams My friend and I used to play basketball in There was no such thing as a little tyke
basket, so it was like a laundry basket. And we would take our socks. We would shoot,
you know, last second shots. And, you know, I’d always pretend
I was Norm Van Lier He was 6’1 165. Overlooked.
Went to a small college in Pennsylvania. And then worked his way up in the NBA
as a third round draft pick. The crowd on. Its feet, literally at the beginning,
it’s Van Lier shoots and hits In those days,
it was a real physical game. So his arms are always on the opposing
player. Fast, tough plays all 48 minutes. Just that attitude that you wanted. You know I’m just tough and competitive. Van Lier comes out with it He’ll go home alone Look at that now. He was the guy
who played all over the court. He would dog you. He would fight you. He was concerned about one thing only.
And that’s winning. He was that type of player. That put his hard hat on
and he went to work. He had that pride about him
to stop his opponent. His. Unselfishness, his hard work,
his defense was just fun to watch. Crowd is standing. Crowd is roaring. 543 on the timer. Two. Van Lier that’s it What are you worried about this one? Well, in a way,
I guess, you know, because it’s all over. If you lose,
I just create action, you know? And this is what I do best. People still talk about him to this day. When they talk about the best
defensive players in the history of the league,
the best defensive back backcourts. His pairing with Jerry Sloan. I would argue, the most fun backcourt
pairing in the history of the NBA, because those two guys
were absolutely fearless. Van Lier on the baseline,
look out he’ll go in there. Here’s Sloan. Got it. Sloan has it outside
Van Lier has a shot. These were the guys who would jump in front of
Wilt so Wilt would commit an offensive foul and yell him in his face,
I ain’t scared of you. Come on. He and Sloan, they developed a reputation
as a locked down backcourt that you couldn’t score against. They they would make you play hard. Like Norm said, 48 minutes of intensity. And they brought that to the court
every night. Way that he play with grit and grime. He and Jerry Sloan that transferred over
to his broadcasting career as well. Welcome to Toyota Bulls postgame Live I’m
Luke Stuckmeyer to my left, our experts, two former NBA stars, former Bulls
Norm Van Lier and Kendall Gill. Guys, you knew. When he was talking that it was always
the truth. His feelings were on his sleeve. 48 minutes of intensity. Yeah, he used to say that all the time, but he meant it
because that’s the way he played. You have to play 48 minutes of intensity,
48 minutes. 48 baby We all have our perspective and Norm. His perspective was his time
playing, competitiveness. He had as a player carried over
to his broadcasting career. But I think his genuineness, his honesty
and his willingness to say things that maybe some in the business would be reluctant
to do really made him very popular. Let’s understand the crux of where
this is coming from, this guy’s heart. This guy’s heart is the Chicago Bulls. You know. I never really felt like
he was a broadcaster. I felt like he was just a guy talking
basketball. And, you know,
the camera happened to be on him. I was just in rehearsal with Mick Jagger,
working on my moves, you know, put up and coming concerts
that I need some turn signals. See? Can you drive with those glasses? It was a pleasure for me
to to work with him. Even the lessons that he taught me. Still, I still use today. One of the greatest human beings
in the world. My friend Stormin Norman Van Lier This is the first time in all my life in Chicago I ever received any award. You just don’t know how much it means
to me to be received,
by these people here in Chicago. Norm really epitomized
the people of Chicago. People really were able to identify
with Norm as one of their own. What made Norm special
was his determination, the love that he had for the game
of basketball and his teammates. And the city. I always had a lot of respect
for his commitment to this organization. He had such a big, kind heart. I only had a chance to worked side
by side with him for four years, but I’ll carry those memories with me
for the rest of my life. I think people should remember. Norm as kind of a floor leader of the,
you know, the first great Chicago Bulls teams. I mean, Norm Van Lier is one of the most seminal figures
in the history of Chicago basketball. Norm’s commitment to the game, commitment
to the Bulls, commitment to the community,
the way he played reflected everything about what
the Bulls franchise wanted to be. But Norm meant to Basketball in Chicago as much as anybody. San Francisco, seven one. Bill Cartwright Cartwright has proven to be the major surprise here in Chicago.
You needed the big man You needed a center, Bill Cartwright
filled that role. I’m pretty much a
no nonsense kinda guy. Bill goes, gets it to Michael. I knew my role. My role is to guard and just be able
to rock and roll from there. The final piece of the Bulls
championship was Bill Cartwright. And it was not a very popular
trade at the time. Charles Oakley was Michael’s closest friend on the team,
but more than that, he was his protector against the antics of the Detroit Pistons. The stifling Detroit Pistons, defense holds the Chicago Bulls. We were up against some teams
that were very physical. The Detroit bad boys were our nemesis
and Bill fit the bill. He was the enforcer and he took care of the back of the lane. He was the one guy that stood up
and played hard against them. The third foul called on Bill Cartwright. Cartwright just slammed his hand into the Now Jack Madden has a short fuse. Once we got Bill Cartwright. I know for a fact
if you’re a guard, you come in that paint, Bill is going to knock your as
down. Isiah Thomas and Cartwright are swinging. We got a big one going in the stadium. Foul has been charged against Bill
Cartwright and Isiah Thomas. They have both been ejected. They have bot Cartwright and Thomas getting thrown out. If some guy whacks you, You try to go after him. That’s just the n We both got tossed
and I went in and had a beer. We needed someone who could guard a Bill Lambert,
who could guard a Patrick Ewing. So he was, you know,
the man in the middle. Ewing and Grant has some words trying to cool it
down. Bill and Patrick beat the crap on each other in the paint. And Will used to get so upset
I put him in the game and in about two minutes
he’d have two fouls and he come over and s And I would say Will, You’re going to have to earn that respect
that Bill’s got. The scoop won’t go but the tip in by Cartw Penetration caused a problem, Ewing turned his back to Cartwright. He always had your back. We never had an altercation where Bill
didn’t step in and put his chest into an opponent because he wasn’t
gonna let them, you know, intimidate us. The most intriguing thing about Bill
is that voice of his. I’m just a guy that loves the game. And you know, I just show up every day, and
I want to get rings and I want to get paid Jordan changed his mind, Cartwright? Yes! And it counts! I was going to be who I am. If something was out of line, I was going
to speak up because that’s how I learn. Cartwright, Oh, what a touch for a big seven foot
one. Cartwright! Hey, big Bill on the trailer. The Chicago defense continues to do it. We were a defensive team first. Phil Jackson was a defensive coach first. Bill was that nail that we needed to get over the hump. The Chicago Bulls have won the NBA Champio When you think of the Bulls offense, you think of Michael and Scottie
you know, Paxson and Horace. Bill doesn’t get the credit he deserved
without a good low post center, That offense doesn’t work. And Bill Cartwright was probably the most
important piece in that triangle offense. Even at my weakest, I knew I had someone who had my back. Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen. These were young players
and they needed someone to look up to. In the celebration, Michael went up to Bill
and said they were right. We needed you. We couldn’t have won without you. Their goal was to win a championship
and it took us some time, ‘bout a half season to take off. But once we did, we took off. We wouldn’t have been a championship
team without him. I always had great respect for Bill.
As you get further away from those times, my respect for him has grown
because I see what his presence meant to our team. He was a father figure to me and BJ. We were just straight out of college,
22 year old kids and you know,
he always made sure we’re eating right. You know,
getting into bed on time on the road. I mean, it’s almost like having your dad. The players looked up to Bill as a leader. He was quiet. But he was effective. Quiet warrior. He didn’t have a lot to say. But you knew him around the team,
especially from his nickname. We call him teach. Because he always teaches. It was easy to overlook
all the other parts to that team. But if you don’t have Bill Cartwright
on this roster, you don’t win. You may win one championship but maybe not Part of his leadership was there’s more to life than just basketball. But while you’re playing basketball,
you better give it your all. It was a rebirth coming here to Chicago. And to be able to overcome the obstacles
of the Cleveland Cavaliers and then the dreaded Detroit Pistons
to overcome them. You know we were the biggest show
in town so it was a lot of fun. There he is, the man, the myth, the legend Billy C, baby, Bill Cartwright.

The Story of the 2025 class of the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor.

00:00-05:04 – The Story of the 2025 Class w/ Bob Costas
05:04-12:17 – Horace Grant
12:17-17:03 – Johnny Bach
17:03-22:31 – Neil Funk
22:31-30:12 – John Paxson
30:12-35:46 – Norm Van Lier
35:46-41:30 – Bill Cartwright

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